How To Protect Your Home At Night

Original publish date: 1st December 2022

Last updated: 7th December 2023

The majority of us think that burglaries won’t happen to us, especially at night. And why wouldn’t you? It’s late and you’re in the house. Surely no one would risk it?

But, according to the Office for National Security last year, did you know that around 58% of burglaries actually occur when someone is in the home? So even if you are in, there’s no guarantee that your home is protected by your presence.

So what can you do to keep your home, belongings and family safe at night? Whether you’re sleeping in bed or taking a holiday. Here are SimpliSafe’s six tips on how to protect your home at night.

1. Light up your property

Under the cover of dark, burglars have a lot of places to hide and they’re much harder to see. So one of the easiest things you can do is light up the entrances around your home. Of course you wouldn’t want them on permanently - you won’t be liked by your neighbours much - so opt for lights that are triggered by motion. Putting potential burglars in the spotlight is a quick and easy way to scare them off.

Not only are they more likely to get cold feet, but floodlights also increase the likelihood of your neighbours being alerted, and hopefully they see what’s going on and act. Your neighbours could be more likely to cooperate with you if you’re part of a local Neighbourhood Watch scheme, which we’ll discuss in more detail later in this article.

2. Have a proper security system

Time to replace that old alarm on the side of your house that doesn’t actually work. These days, wireless home security systems are smart, sophisticated and allow you to keep an eye on your home when you’re not there, all through a tap of the app. By having cameras that monitor entrances and exits, and glass sensors that respond when something breaks, you can keep every inch of your home protected. And whether you’re out or upstairs, just open the app to view your cameras and check what’s going on in an instant.

Another layer of protection is a monitored alarm system, which is perfect if you’re going away for one night or seven. It allows a police or guard response to be dispatched without you needing to be physically present, ensuring you are protected 24/7.

3. Advertise your security

Another good option? Clearly advising those who may have bad intentions towards your home that you will have video evidence of their wrongdoings is an excellent deterrent. A high percentage of burglars are opportunistic as opposed to extremely well thought out, and with loud alarms, lights and video cameras comes an increased risk with very little gain. With the SimpliSafe home security system, you can choose to place our window decals and yard signs within view; an easy way to suddenly make your home appear far less attractive.

4. Scare them with a siren

Second to lights suddenly coming on, a loud noise is a fantastic way to scare off burglars, although we wouldn’t recommend having one triggered by movement outside your home, especially if you live on a street that gets a lot of foot traffic. A much better option would be a loud alarm that is triggered when a door or window is open or broken and the system has not been disarmed. Also, a loud alarm can alert yourself if you are home but asleep, so you can wake up and quickly deal with the situation. Pairing perfectly with your SimpliSafe system, our Extra 105dB Siren does just the trick.

5. Remember to lock your doors and windows

It might sound simple and like something nobody would ever forget to do but like we said earlier, most burglars are opportunistic. They will try doors and windows just to see if any have been left unlocked. If they have, they’ve hit the jackpot. A lot of people think that because they live on a cul-de-sac or on a nice street that they don’t always need to lock every door and window, but it really is better to be safe than sorry.

Whenever you enter your home or head up to bed, make a habit of locking behind you or doing a quick check to make sure everything is secure. It might seem like just a small window, but it could be just the opportunity someone was looking for.

6. Make it look like someone is home

Whether the teenagers are home alone or you’re out for the evening, it’s important that you at least make it look like the house is occupied. Keeping things dark and quiet makes your home much more tempting. You can get timers for lights that will switch on and off at certain times of the day, and you could even leave the TV on if you’re not out for long to make it look like people are home and awake. It could mean the difference between someone trying their luck and passing over your home.

Your home can become more vulnerable when you’re away for several nights. If there are criminals operating in your local area, they may notice when the lights have all been off for a few nights in a row, and could also notice things like newspapers, letters and parcels being delivered to your home and not taken in.

This is why it’s extremely important to use timers for your lighting or smart lighting that can be controlled remotely via an app. We also recommend getting to know your neighbours and telling them when you’re away, so they can take your parcels for you and keep an eye on your home.

7. Join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme

To look after your home and also help reduce the rate of crime in your community, you could join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme. Neighbourhood Watch is a grassroots charity movement operating across the UK, with over 2.3 million members joining so far. Each member joins their local Neighbourhood Watch scheme, which is made up of local people who work together and with the police to watch for suspicious activity in the area and report crime.

When you join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, it’ll help you form closer ties with your community and keep your home and others’ homes safer. Neighbourhood Watch members are encouraged to look out for suspicious activity in the local area, such as strangers hanging around someone’s property at night. Other activities can include removing newspapers and moving bins at a neighbour’s unoccupied property, as this will thwart opportunistic criminals looking for homes to target while the occupants are on holiday.

Joining the Neighbourhood Watch can reassure you that your neighbours are looking out for you and helping to reduce the risk of your home being burgled. Plus, if you help to reduce crime in your local area as a whole, you could potentially protect your home more effectively. This is because a strong Neighbourhood Watch presence could deter burglars.

In 2023, SimpliSafe partnered with Neighbourhood Watch to further their aims of empowering communities to tackle local crimes and feel safer in their homes. Neighbourhood Watch members can now access exclusive discounts on SimpliSafe home security systems, and SimpliSafe customers will receive access to expert guidance on home security, crime prevention and community wellbeing. Discover further home security advice on the SimpliSafe blog, or check out our Build My System page to have a go at customising your own bespoke security system.