We’ve all been there. You leave home heading to work, the supermarket or a night out with friends and five minutes down the road the questions pop into your head: “Did I lock the back door? Did I lock the front door? Did I close the window in the kitchen?” Home security is always on our minds but sometimes it takes a back seat and we become complacent. And that’s when burglars or opportune thieves will usually strike!

Home security is a multi-million pound industry and us Brits are more than happy to splash out on a wide variety of gadgets and technology designed to protect our homes from being broken into. Sadly, we’re hearing lots of stories of homeowners who’ve gone to the trouble of having CCTV installed, top of the range security doors and windows fitted and automatic gates added to their property and then not actually use them or have them maintained properly. What’s the point of having state-of-the-art security cameras if they’re not working correctly, an intruder alarm that you don’t even set at night or security gates that don’t close because the batteries are dead in the controller?

And the complacency doesn’t stop there unfortunately. It’s also as simple as not replacing lamps in outdoor security lights, leaving a ladder lying about in the garden and just forgetting to lock doors and close windows when you’re not at home. These are silly mistakes that all of us have probably made but they really do leave the door wide open for thieves.

So, don’t be complacent about your home security. We know it’s easy done but if you want to beat the burglars you must make sure that you have all the basics covered before you even leave your house – every time you leave your house. Try making a home security check-list and leaving it by the front door so you will always have a reminder. When you’re gardening, make sure you lock all your tools away in a shed or garage. Check the lamps in your security lights – are they still working? And if your CCTV or automatic gates aren’t functioning properly get a qualified electrician to come and fix them – it could mean the difference between coming home to a house that’s just as you left it or one that’s been ransacked and your precious belongings stolen.