On Sunday 27th October the clocks go back, which means it's time to update your home security routine. When the dark nights draw in, there's often an influx of house robberies and car thefts as criminals take advantage of the earlier dusk.

Securing your possessions is of utmost importance at this time of year. Many of us are starting our Christmas shopping, and nothing screams 'easy target' to a criminal more than the brand new PlayStation you've haphazardly left in the boot of your car. Taking a little extra time to make sure your home and vehicles aren't vulnerable can make all the difference, but this isn't the only step you should take. Let's dive into some other important precautions...

Light it Up

A great way to give the illusion that someone is home is by leaving a couple of lights on around the house. Worried about your energy bills? Try plugging your lamps into timer switches or switch to energy-efficient bulbs.

Similarly, pick a parking spot that's in a well-lit area rather than parking your car in the shadows. Burglars are far more likely to target cars in secluded side streets! You could even add external lighting to your home or driveway to keep these areas safe and sound. 

Lock and Check

Make sure easily accessible windows, doors and gates are locked before you head out. Taking five minutes to whip around your house and garden to double-check everything is secure will save you days of stress and heartache when you come home to a house that's been ravaged by burglars. 

Keep an Eye

For an added layer of security, why not consider adding CCTV inside or outside your home? Speak to our advisors about adding CCTV that can be remotely accessed from your mobile phone wherever you are. Even if you're working late one night or visiting a Christmas market, you'll be able to keep a close eye on your home & belongings! 

Intruder Alert!!

A great alternative to a CCTV camera is an intruder alarm. We offer intruder alarms with 24/7 monitoring packages, so if someone did attempt a break-in, we'd be on the case immediately. Concerned the police wouldn't get there in time? We use the latest digital signalling equipment to make sure the relevant emergency service units are contacted automatically if an incident was to occur. 

If you'd like to speak to a member of the IDS team about improving your home security before winter truly takes hold, get in touch! 

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Criminal mastery has long been a common theme on the silver screen, from The Italian Job and The Sting to Goodfellas and Snatch.

Even Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves made waves as the presidential pair of surf-loving swindlers in Point Break.

However, despite what Hollywood’s best efforts may have you believe, not all law-breakers boast the glamorised criminal intellect of Keyser Soze in real-life.

In fact, in the cold light of day, many criminals wind up looking far less like The Joker and far more like a bunch of clowns.

Witness the witless in action as we shine a searchlight on the hapless and the hopeless in this shameful rundown of stupid criminals.

Ocean’s 11 these are not…

Stupid Criminals UK

The title of “World’s Dumbest Criminal” has been passed around more times than a herbal remedy in Snoop Dogg’s dressing room.

However, you don’t need to look far to find examples of illegal idiocy. In fact, there are plenty of examples within our very shores.

Phoning It In

Losing your mobile phone can be an annoying and, at times, distressing occurrence… especially if you do so while committing a house robbery.

One careless criminal did just that, leaving his mobile phone at the scene of the crime, complete with selfies as evidence.

Despite claiming his phone had been stolen when questioned, the presence of stolen goods in the suspect’s home proved otherwise.

Unfortunately for the 44-year-old thief, the phone wasn’t the only thing that was charged. He was later sentence to 160 hours of community service.

Every Little Helps

Anyone with an ounce of common sense will be well aware of the importance of a clean social media account.

Unfortunately, common sense isn’t always that common. Case in point: this 32-year-old man from Norfolk.

The sloppy criminal posted a Facebook update on his profile that simply read “Doing. Tesco. Over” with an accompanying picture of himself brandishing a blade.

Apparently possessing an unhealthy dislike for his local Tesco store, the careless criminal planned to raid the supermarket that evening.

However, the post gave the police a welcome heads up, allowing them to intercept the man in a supermarket sweep of their own just 15 minutes later.

The man was sentenced to four years in prison and presumably had his Club Card revoked for life.

Love at First Swipe

A thirsty Scottish shoplifter became a victim of love after opportunistically swiping a bottle of vodka from an off-license.

However, it wasn’t some quick-witted local hero that apprehended the Smirnoff-swiping swindler but something far more simple.

Prior to pocketing the bottle, the shoplifter had incredibly left his name and number with the cashier after asking her out on a date.

Following the monumental oversight, the police quite literally had his number and the careless culprit had earned himself a date with the law.

A Safe Bet

A bank manager with a gambling habit seems like the perfect storm for bad news. Unsurprisingly, that storm soon came to pass and didn’t go by unnoticed.

Having already pilfered £3m from private investors through a bogus investment scheme, the 58-year-old Halifax executive from South Wales went a step too far when he began dipping his fingers in the till or, more specifically, the safe.

Bringing his total swag to an even £10m, the Swansea man stole £7m from the bank’s safe, incredibly leaving behind a signed IOU in its place.

The outlandish stunt was inevitably discovered by stunned auditor’s and the ludicrous loan was repaid in the form of a 12-year jail sentence.

Goldilocked Up

A Lancashire couple were left stunned when they returned home from holiday to find an unexpected guest in their home – a sleeping burglar.

The retired pair from Leeds found the Polish thief asleep in their bed, presumably replenishing his energy after a tiring day on the rob.

Investigators found that the sleepy bandit had made himself quite at home, even washing his underwear and cooking during his stay.

The intruder even attempted to clean up after himself by doing the dishes. Unfortunately for him, those domestic duties weren’t enough to save him from the law.

Home Security with IDS

While the above examples of criminal idiocy may be astonishing in their stupidity, that’s not to say you should let your guard down and leave your home unprotected.

At IDS Security, we offer a wide variety of home security solutions to keep your property and its inhabitants safe.

From CCTV cameras to burglar alarms and everything in between, we can help you make your home as safe as houses.

For more information on home security solutions from IDS Security, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 029 20 753 251 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.

Contact Us

When it comes to home security, it's always best to be better safe than sorry. Whether it’s setting up a security camera, installing a burglar alarm or simply keeping your valuables out of view from the window, there are many simple steps you can take to secure your home. 

Here at IDS we're passionate about home security, and we’ve got a handful of additional safety measures we'd like to share with you that you can easily implement to make your property as safe as possible.

Home Security Tips

When it comes to securing your home, there are various different actions you can take, including: 

1. Install a home alarm system
2. Add a deadbolt to your door
3. Add a home CCTV camera 
4. Keep spare keys in a lock box
5. Password protect your WiFi 
6. Store valuables in a safe
7. Add motion detection lights
8. Store valuable items out of sight from windows

Here at IDS Security we're experts in home security and have been offering home security solutions for over 20 years. If you'd like to read more about our home security systems, click the link below!

Home Security System

Garden Security Tips

The garden is one of the primary gateways to your home. As such, it’s also a key area when it comes to home safety. Opportunistic burglars can prey on those with poor security in their gardens, making the most of dark and shadowy areas. Consider making these small changes to your outside space in order to keep your property as secure as possible:

1) Lock Your Outbuildings

An unlocked outbuilding is like a cartoon pie cooling on a windowsill – it’s the dream sight for an opportunist and really is asking for trouble. Whether you own a shed, summer house or garden room, any kind of detachable outbuilding will be a prime target for petty thieves.

This can prove to be particularly costly when it comes to outbuildings like workshops, which are likely to house expensive items, machinery and materials. What’s more, these outbuildings could also provide burglars with the tools they need to break into your actual house, whether it’s a ladder, a crowbar or even a shovel.

Keep your outbuildings secured with a padlock and consider accessorising with an alarm. If windows are present, ensure they are all equipped with sturdy locks or seal shut permanently.

2) Secure Your Bike

Bikes are one of the most commonly stolen items from the home. Keeping your bike secure might not seem like the most important home security tip, but it can cause a real inconvenience - especially if you use your bike to get to work.

If you own a bike, you’ll be all too aware that a good one isn’t cheap. Protect your investment by buying a bike store for your garden. Bike boxes make for the perfect hideaway for your two-wheeled transport. Secure with the appropriate padlocks for the ideal concealed area for you and your families bicycles.

3) Immobilise Your Car

It’s not just your two-wheeled transportation you should be concerned with either; your motorised vehicles can be just as tempting to thieves. While you may think your car is safe when it’s stored on your drive or parked in a well-lit street, that’s not always the case. Here are some home security tips to keep your automobile safe and secure.

Installing a security post or bollard on your drive can be a fantastic way to ensure your car stays put where you parked it. At IDS Security, we specialise in a variety of barrier systems, including rising bollards that can be perfect for driveway use at residential properties.

4) Anchor Garden Valuables

It’s amazing what criminals will steal in the hopes of financial gain, from children’s toys and outdoor furniture to plant pots and garden gnomes.

The front garden is particularly at risk from such theft, given its open nature. As such, it’s a good idea to secure your garden valuables by tying them down in place with cable ties.

5) Upgrade Your Gate

A haggard, old gate isn’t worth the rusted hinge it hangs on, while a damaged wooden fence that barely stands may as well be a revolving door. Metal gates are a great solution, providing visibility and durability in equal measure. If you prefer a wooden alternative, aim for a fence with a trellis panel at the top.

The opaque body of the fence will prevent snooping eyes, while the trellis top won’t be strong enough to support a climbing intruder, posing the risk of injury and/or discovery. For heightened home security, adding an additional padlock is a wise move, ensuring your gate remains shut when you want it to be.

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For more home security tips on keep you home safe, check out our blog on “Common Home Security Mistakes”, or "Home Security System Maintenance" Knowledge is power and knowing what NOT to do can go a long way.

If you have any additional safety queries or are interested in implementing IDS Security options in your home, why not get in touch today? Call now on 029 20 753 251 or drop us a line using the link below.

Contact Us

When it comes to home security, there’s no such thing as being too careful.

According to the Office of National Statistics, from April 2017 to March 2018, 14% of all domestic burglaries in Wales and England involved an unlocked door and 7% involved an open window, while 4% saw entry with an actual key.

Even more concerning, the front door was used as the point of entry for 52% of these incidents. Meanwhile, 25% of all burglaries also occurred while the occupants were home and completely unaware that they were being burgled.

Such statistics point to the glaringly obvious – Britain needs to be more careful when it comes to home security. Luckily, there are a few common home security mistakes you can easily remedy to increase your home safety dramatically.

Home Security Mistakes

As the old sayings go, prevention is better than a cure and defence is the best form of attack. Keep your home safe from break-ins by avoiding the most common home security mistakes prevalent across the UK.

Hiding a Key Outside

A classic security mistake, the old “key under the mat” trick is so predictably careless that it’s been habitually lampooned in pop culture, appearing in everything from Back to the Future to SpongeBob SquarePants.

Similar spots like under a plant put or beneath a bin are just as predictable for would-be burglars, leaving your home wide open for unwanted visitors.

Leaving your key outside is like setting your phone pin as your date of birth. While it might not be as careless as keeping it open, it’s far from fool-proof and doesn’t take a criminal mastermind to get in.

High-Profile Valuables

If your valuables are highly visible from the outside, it can leave a passing opportunist salivating like a dog in a butcher’s window.

From jewellery and watches to car keys and mobile phones, leaving items in direct view of the window is asking for trouble, particularly if your house directly backs on to a busy street.

While it’s easy to say “don’t leave your valuable in full-view”, realistically anyone can slip up from time to time. As such, it’s a good idea to invest in blinds or even net curtains.

To further limit the possibility of your prized possessions being swiped, never leave an open window unattended.

Lights Out

While it may seem obvious, a dark house with no lighting is ironically a glaring beacon to burglars that the house is empty…unless you happen to have photophobia and simply hate lights.

If you’re going to be out of the house for a short period of time – such as the evening or overnight – leaving a light on is an instant remedy that can work wonders. It’s literally as easy as flicking a switch.

Meanwhile, if you’re going away on holiday and are going to be leaving your house vacant for several days, installing light timers can be a wise and affordable solution. Some don’t even require programming for added ease.

A lack of lighting externally can also provide burglars with the perfect cover to enter a property undetected. Invest in motion sensor security lights to highlight any intruders before they make their move.

External Build-Ups

Whether it’s an overflowing letterbox of backlogged junk mail or a growing stock of deliveries in the porch, external build-ups clearly in plain view of passers-by make it blatantly obvious the occupants are away for a prolonged period of time.

Even something simple like leaving your bins at the bottom of the drive for collection can be a dead giveaway. If possible, cancel any deliveries and/or arrange for a neighbour, friend or family member to stop by and collect/clear up any obvious signs of inhabitancy.

A build-up of milk on your doorstep used to be another tell-tale sign of a lengthy getaway. While this has somewhat fallen by the wayside with the decline of milk deliveries, it’s been naturally replaced by a fitting 21^st century substitute…

Social Media Declarations

Many of us will be guilty of this next entry but it doesn’t make it any less foolish from a security point of view. Announcing your holiday plans on social media is like putting a big neon “OPEN” sign on your front door.

Letting the social media world know your house is vacant for a week isn’t smart. While we’d all like to think that our friends are honest, law-abiding citizens, truthfully, many of us will be connected to people online we know in passing or barely know at all. 

If you have hundreds of Facebook friends, ask yourself how many of those can you really count as genuine friends? Realistically, many will be acquaintances, while some may even be relative unknowns.

Worse still, a bit of digging through your timeline can often uncover an address with relative ease. For example, we’ve all seen those “new home” posts of house keys: if the accompanying photo is of the house or street itself, they can provide a lot more info than you would like.

Home Security

If you really want to keep your home safe and sound, it could be well worth investing in some additional safety options. At IDS Security, we offer a variety of home security measures that are specifically designed to keep your home and its contents as safe as possible.

From surveillance cameras and burglar alarms to access controls and fire protection systems, we run the gamut of security technology to provide you with something money can’t buy – peace of mind.

For more details on our security systems and home protection technology, why not get in touch today? Call now on 029 20 753 251 or drop us a line using the link below.

Contact Us

Access control systems are an exemplary electronic means of restricting access to your property, be it commercial or residential. Whether you own an office and want to keep better tabs on your employees' activities, or a homeowner who's sick of the neighbour popping in for a cuppa unannounced, an access control system will be your new best friend! Let's dive straight into the 5 most notable benefits of access control systems:

1. Hard to Duplicate 

If you have a disgruntled employee (or a bitter ex), it's possible that they could duplicate your key to gain access to your property.

Rather than changing the locks, you can simply change the passcode, remove the person's biometric data and deactivate any lost/stolen keycards or fobs remotely. 

2. Multi-Location Access

For businesses like schools, offices and hospitals, access control systems allow access at multiple entrances with a single keycard or fob, meaning employees don't need to carry a huge bunch of keys.

The same applies to your home, why have a front door key, a back door key and a conservatory key when you could have an access control system to secure them all.

3. Increased Protection

If you have valuable items in your home or business, access control systems offer far better protection than standard doors.

On the off chance that someone with authorised access decides to take advantage of the access control system, you'll be able to determine exactly who it was by logging into the access control network.

If you want to add yet another layer of protection, why not add a CCTV system too?

4. Simplify the in-&-out system

Without an access control system, it can be complicated to manage the comings and goings of employees who work irregular hours, for example, night shifts.

Rather than doors needing to be manually locked and unlocked as employees come and go, one benefit of access control systems is that they offer a 'unlock only when necessary' scenario. Employees can gain access quickly and the doors will lock automatically behind them. 

This could also be incredibly handy if your youngsters come to and from the house during unsociable hours, and can't be trusted to lock the door behind them!

5. Record Entry & Exit Data

The final benefit of access control systems is that you can accurately record entry and exit data.

The moment that someone uses their keycard or fob to enter the building, the date, time and location are recorded. This data can provide invaluable insights into the behaviour of your employees.

For example, is there one person who always shows up late, is there one person who's working later into the night than they should be - and so on. 

If you think that your property could benefit from an access control system then don't hesitate to get in touch with a member of the IDS team!