It’s heart warming to know that in Britain people are becoming more and more security conscious, home security, especially, as a research carried out last year by YouGov on behalf of ADT, the home security specialist has confirmed that over three quarters of adults who go on holiday (78%) take steps to make their homes look lived-in while they’re away.

Mark Shaw, General Manager of the Residential Business at ADT Fire and Security said: “Latest crime figures show that domestic burglary increased by 10% in the last year². Publication of this letter highlights the indiscriminate nature of opportunistic burglary and confirms that simple measures, like closing windows, can help to protect property, whether there is someone at home or not.”

A source at ADT said the research highlights the most popular DIY home security measures people use to make their property look lived in: 37% of adults who go on holiday use light timers, while 32% ask a neighbour to pop by, 26% close their curtains and 19% say they would stop milk and newspaper delivery. Other steps people said they take include leaving the curtains open, hanging washing on the line or leaving dishes on the draining board.

Shaw added: “It is heartening to know that so many people take steps to try to protect their properties but the harsh reality is that, despite people’s best efforts, many burglaries happen while people are at home and their properties clearly look lived in. One way to truly help secure your property is with a monitored alarm system, which will provide 24/7 cover from as little as £99 plus a monthly fee – a small price to pay for peace of mind.”