Michael Armstrong, the Crime Prevention Tactical Advisor for Essex Police talks about an initiative by Essex Police in conjunction with Operation Bisley.

Burglary is horrible, reduce the risk by following two or three simple steps:

Make sure whatever type of front door you have, it is properly and adequately locked

Ensure that uPVC doors are secured and deadlocked properly - they can be tricky with those metal levers so you need to check double doors particularly carefully before you key lock them.

Be aware that wooden doors with glazed panels could allow a smash attack - don't leave tempting valuable in plain sight.

If you have wooden doors with a rim lock and mortice lock, a burglar will test a wooden door with his knee to see if the mortice lock has actually been engaged. Warped doors can make you vulnerable.

Put a padlock and fitting on any side gate - don't allow poeple to get access to the rear of the property

Join your local Neighbourhood Watch - people looking out for each other is a good way to deter burglars.

As part of Operation Bisley, the team in the video are visiting 4 streets with PCSOs and the Neighbourhood Watch co ordinator looking for things that a burglar would identify with an easier job.

They checked wooden doors with their knees to make sure they were secure.

They used an extendable mirror to reach over gates (without climbing on them) to check there was a proper bolt or padlock in place and to see if there were any valuable items of machinery visible.

It's vital to put these preventative features in place before people become victims of burglary.

So, after checking, they knocked on doors to have a chat with the home owner about how to lock door properly and reasons why. If no one was at home, they left a letter with contact details for further advice about keeping property secure.

One third of the time, the property is adequately secured but that's still a lot of homes where thieves stand a chance.

Protect your home with a reliable state-of-the-art home security system

At Spy Alarms, we implement reliable home security systems that are proven to protect you and your family. Working across Kent and London, we install a wide range of home security systems that include CCTV, access control, intruder alarms and intercom systems to name but a few. For a FREE site survey, please get in touch with us today.