Mark your property to deter burglars
A determined burglar can be difficult to discourage. Good-quality doors, windows and locks are excellent deterrents, but there’s even more you can do to stop burglars in their tracks.
Mark it
Make your valuables less attractive to thieves by using a property or police approved forensic marking solution only visible under Ultraviolet (UV) light. This can take the form of a special marker using ink or paint. Mark or etch your property with your postcode, house or flat number or the first three letters of your address. All of these measures help police identify stolen goods, making it harder for thieves to sell. So make your mark. For information on police approved marking products, visit the Secured by Design website.
And property marking isn’t only for things like electrical items and bikes, you can also mark high value belongings like antiques. However, we recommend that you seek specialist advice.
Register your property for free on Immobilise – it helps the police identify the owners of recovered property. You can register anything that has a serial number with Immobilise.
Record it
Register your valuables using an accredited property database; these can be found on the Secured by Design website.
Take photographs and keep documents like receipts related to your property so you can prove ownership.
Register your bike
If you value your bike, then register it with an accredited cycle registration database and make sure it is marked to advertise this. To find such a database, visit the Secured by Design website.
Flag it
If you value it, then mark it as protected. Window stickers and signage are extremely effective and are proven to be a powerful deterrent against burglary.
Join your Neighbourhood Watch
By becoming part of your local Neighbourhood Watch, you’ll be joining other like-minded neighbours who, by keeping their eyes and ears open, help to keep potential criminals out of the area.