5 Things Retired Coppers Do Every Night That Keep Burglars Away (Most British Homeowners Don't)

Retired burglary squad officers and crime prevention officers follow a roughly four-minute checklist every night before bed, and this video walks through all five habits in detail. The routine starts with properly locking a uPVC or composite door using the lift, lock and remove method, then physically testing the handle, because a surprisingly large share of domestic burglaries in England and Wales involve no force at all. The second habit covers indoor lighting on timers rather than lights left permanently on, drawing on a major Nottingham Trent University study using Crime Survey data that identified a combination called WIDE as offering dramatically better protection than a burglar alarm alone. Keys come next, specifically keeping them away from letterboxes to prevent the well-documented fishing technique used to steal car keys without ever entering the home. The fourth habit is a quick outdoor lap to move bins, ladders and tools away from fences and windows. The fifth, and most revealing, is reading your own house from the pavement, including the ruler check that shows whether your front door cylinder protrudes more than three millimetres and whether it carries a TS007 3-star or Sold Secure SS312 Diamond certification. The video also explains why Approved Document Q building regulations left replacement doors entirely unprotected. #homesecurity #burglarprevention #crimepreventionuk #diy #ukhome #locksmiths #safetytips #documentary #homeimprovement #britishhomes