When we leave our own homes to go on holiday, we do sometimes worry about our home security. Obviously, all the doors and windows in your home and outbuildings should be locked with good quality locking systems, but this isn’t always enough to deter criminals from targeting your home.

Many people are turning to CCTV systems to protect their unoccupied homes and this can be an effective way to discourage burglars as the sight of the cameras can act as a deterrent. The positioning of the cameras needs to be carefully planned so that the majority of your property is covered. If at all possible, wiring should be hidden and not easily accessible to prevent vandalism.

A new development in CCTV is the doorbell camera which will show you any visitors to your property and even allows you to speak to them. These and the previously discussed cameras can be linked to your phone so that the footage can be viewed even when out of the country, and any suspicious activity reported to the police.

Neighbourhood watch schemes operate in many local areas and it is certainly worth joining such a scheme as the signage again is a deterrent to potential burglars.