Staffordshire Police

There are many things you can do to keep your home more secure which don't have to cost you a penny.

• don't leave your spare key where anyone can find it - under a flowerpot, on ledges, on a piece of string through the letterbox or under the doormat are the first places a burglar will look
• keep your front garden tidy - a house that looks cared for and occupied is less likely to attract thieves. Keep bushes and hedges trimmed to less than a metre as it is difficult for a burglar to crouch below this without drawing attention to him or herself
• don't leave valuables on view - a burglar will think of it as a shop window. And remember to keep your doors and windows locked - even if you're in the back garden
• don't leave garden tools lying around - not only could they get stolen, thieves can use them to break into your home. Keep them locked away - whilst it's rare for burglars to enter above ground floor, ladders should still be secured to a wall bracket
• if you go on holiday, cancel milk and paper deliveries. If possible ask a trusted friend or neighbour to check your home while you're away
• postcode property - not only does it help police return stolen items, it can put thieves off stealing them in the first place as they're harder to sell. Either scratch identification on or use an ultraviolet marker pen. Add your postcode and house number - if yours is a house name not a number add the first three letters of the name after the postcode
• these pens (from DIY stores and some police stations) use an ink that shows up under ultraviolet light. Alternatively use a permanent marker if it does not matter that it shows. You can get 'post-coded property' stickers from your local crime reduction unit and some police stations
• take pictures of valuable items like jewellery, ceramics or silverware and write down the serial numbers of electrical goods. Put a ruler next to the object as this gives a better idea of the size of the object stolen which helps police identify them if they are recovered. Make sure you keep the pictures safe, ideally leave them with a friend
• be a good neighbour. Keep your eyes and ears open in your local community. Burglars find it more difficult to operate when people watch out for each other.
• why not join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme or even start one up in your local community. If you see anyone acting suspiciously in your neighbourhood, call the police. If you see anyone breaking into a property call 999 immediately.