You might not have realised it, but there are so many things you can do to stop yourself from getting burgled. Generally, it’s a simple matter of locking the right things. Burglars are opportunists – once you take away the easy opportunities for them to get into your home, they will just move on. Being a little careful is all that is needed.

It goes without saying that you should always lock your front door when you are going out, instead of leaving it on the latch – if you can’t find the key, look for it until you can, or rely on another family member to let you in. Windows should be kept locked, too, when you are out – even if it means opening and closing them often.

Garages are a common entry point, as they are often left unlocked – lock your garage if it has anything valuable inside (including your car!), and keep any doors from your garage into your house or garden locked at all times. In your garden, make sure that any ladders and other garden tools are safely locked away, as they can often be used by the burglar to force their way into the house.

You should be very wary of any unknown callers who come to your door – they might appear to be innocent salesmen (or at least as innocent as salesmen can be), but they may actually be planning a burglary. They can be very clever: a common trick is to tell you that something has happened to your car or your garden, making you leave the house and leave the door open, and then an accomplice will break in while you are being distracted.

Finally, make sure that when you go on holiday it’s not too obvious that you’ve gone away. Ask a neighbour to check in on the house and pick up your mail, so that it doesn’t visibly stack up, and let them park their car in your driveway so that it appears someone is home.