With Halloween just around the corner, experts are urging Brits to protect their homes with antisocial tendencies expected to rise by 17% on the spookiest night of the year. This threat often comes in the form of teens or adults with the intention to cause trouble using the air of mystery and anonymity that dress-up costumes and Halloween decorations provide.
Brits can deter them long before they arrive at their doorstep, according to home security expert at Household Quotes, Joshua Houston. He pinpointed six things you can put in place on All Hallow’s Eve to make your property less of a target for the tricksters while still welcoming the treaters. He added: “Don’t be too worried though, as the chances of you being a victim are quite slim. Most people will be enjoying the night in the right way.’’
Pumpkin placement
Carved pumpkins have long been a signal of households celebrating Halloween, often signposting the properties for trick-or-treaters but it can also attract the dreaded pumpkin smashers. To avoid having your hard work blown to bits on the business end of a solid kick, Joshua advised: “It can cause a lot of mess and expensive damage if thrown against cars or houses. So put your pumpkins on display inside your house, this can be on the windowsill facing the outside.”
Lock your doors and windows
Arguably a more obvious bit of advice is to ensure all possible entry ways to your home and vehicles are locked on Halloween. With a rise in the number of people running around on the street, burglars often feel emboldened by the fact that they can blend into this crowd right after ransacking your home.
Limit the opportunities these criminals get by securing all windows and doors and keeping valuables out of sight. This is particularly important for people expecting to open the door to strangers throughout the evening as the expert urged them to move items that are often near the front door, such as car keys, phones and wallet, out of arm’s reach.
In this regard, Joshua also recommended investing in recording devices like a Ring doorbell which can alert you to any type of shenanigans going on once you close your front door. He encouraged people to check these cameras have fresh batteries for the evening and suggested people in areas that are more susceptible to anti-social behaviour invest in more hefty installations like CCTV instead to capture their home from all angles.
Park carefully
Halloween also often brings a rise in vandalism, which is where your vehicles might be more at risk than your property. Joshua warned: “Wing mirrors, windscreens and wipers are easy to damage with direct contact or via something thrown. To avoid your car from being damaged, move it to a safer space. This could include a garage if you have one, or in a secure area within a walkable distance.”
Clear decorations by a curfew
Joshua insisted: “By all means, decorate the outside of your property, but consider decorations that can be quickly packed away. Younger children tend to ‘trick or treat’ earlier on in the night, those who will be most likely to cause trouble will come later. Decorations are the invite for people to knock on your door. So to avoid any unwanted knockers, return your home to its normal look at around 8pm.”