Calling all home security experts. The time has come for you to strut your stuff and test your knowledge with our home security quiz.

Using our insight gained through innovating and developing the UK’s home security over the past 147 years, we’ve put together some tricky home security questions for you to see just how much you really know. Our quiz includes some facts, figures, truths and falsities. So, are you an expert or a novice? Take our quiz now here, or if you’re not ready then read our guide below.  

A change in crime rates

Since Covid-19 first impacted the UK in 2020, our lives have changed and so have our habits. During the lockdown periods, we all spent more time at home than ever before, and made the most of the time we could spend outside the home.

With a large number of employers adopting a working from home policy, it meant the hours we’d usually spend at the office would instead be spent at our own address. Just as the pandemic affected the way in which we went about our days, it meant the habits of burglars also changed

Before the pandemic, a large number of domestic burglaries would be committed during the day. With our increased presence at home, the ONS (Office for National Statistics) has reported that the number of burglaries has dropped. The time-frame for domestic burglaries was reduced so much, that in comparison to the previous year’s statistics, burglary rates had plummeted by 30%.

Warned off

All houses are a potential target for burglars to target, and there’s the possibility of a theft happening anywhere in the country at any time. All across the UK, homes are impacted by burglaries, but that doesn’t mean they’re carried out without a burglar doing their due diligence checks.

A house is an attractive site to a burglar who is potentially weighing up their options. Before they do anything,  they are going to assess how easy it is to enter a property, whether there’s any risk of them being caught in the act and what deterrents are in place. Actions such as putting up a ‘beware of the dog’ sign, or laying gravel on your driveway to make any approaching footsteps louder can make your home less appealing.

Hampshire charity, The Bobby Scheme, however, have advised that the presence of a security alarm box on a property will have the most impact on a burglar’s decision making process. They suggest that 84% of burglars would avoid a property displaying a visible burglar alarm.

Taking the time

When a burglar does decide to strike, it will likely be a property that looks like it would be as easy as possible to access, and one that’s worth taking the time to do so. Although reported burglary rates are at a lower figure than last year, domestic break-ins still happen.

Across the UK, burglaries occur at a steady rate. Statista has calculated that between April 2020 and March 2021, 267,931 burglaries were committed across England and Wales. This figure equates to a rate of a break-in once every 118 seconds, which is an alarming statistic.

If you’re looking to stay in control of your home security, why not check out one of our bespoke home security packages. You can even add an extra layer of protection to your home, by opting for ADT’s accredited Police Response service. In the event of a confirmed alarm activation, ADT will notify the police who will then react to the call.

When a domestic property is targeted, a burglar often won’t just pick out a home at random. They will have a careful plan of action, and are likely to know their victim in some capacity.

Nimblefins has reported that just over 43% of burglars are acquainted with their victim. Amongst this number, 24.4% know them well, while the remaining 18.8% are on speaking terms. This suggests that not everyone you know is quite as they seem. It also means that you should be careful posting on social media when you’re away from your home, because there’s a chance that someone might take advantage of your property being empty.

Batten down the hatches

After deciding that they want to attempt to break-in, a burglar will have to decide on their chosen method of entry for a property.

If you’re one of the many of us who likes to keep possessions in your garden, don’t forget that although this space is outside of your four walls, it’s still very much your property. A garden can be seen as an easy target by burglars, so remember to keep your gate shut, and to put your furniture and tools away. Country Living magazine has advised that more that half a million garden thefts are reported across Britain on a yearly basis, so take every precaution that you can to ensure that you’re not part of that number.

According to the ONS, when they’re looking to enter a building a burglar is likely to target one of two main points: a door or a window.

A burglar is most likely to enter through a door. More than three quarters of burglaries in England and Wales feature a door as the point of entry. Within this figure, 33% need to force the lock to break in, while 14.5% of burglars were able to walk straight in through an unlocked door. It’s important to invest in a high quality lock, but more importantly you should use it if you’re upstairs or in the back garden.

A window is the second most common method of getting into a property. 20% of burglars gain access this way, with 7.9% forcing the catch or lock, 6.3% smashing the glass to gain entry and a further 5% able to climb in through an empty window.

The key takeaway is to always make sure you’ve shut and locked your windows and doors, and that you haven’t left a spare key outside for a burglar to find it.

Answering an alarm

The UK has a population of more than 67 million people, with the majority of us living in urban areas. As these cities and towns have expanded, so too have their neighbourhoods. This has meant that if you move into a new location, there might be too many people around for you to get to know.

Domestic burglary rates are over five times higher in densely populated areas than the countryside. As a result, urban residents have become less interested in a ringing burglar alarm. It has been reported that a minority of people would take any action, with 19% saying that they’d think about going to investigate, and just 6% suggesting they’d call the police.

These statistics show just how important it is to have a home security system that you can count on, and that will watch over your home wherever you are in the world. This is where the benefits of a package that includes round-the-clock monitoring really shine through. All ADT alarm packages feature a dedicated home monitoring service, and at a rate of less than £9 per week, you can get peace of mind for less than the price of your daily store-bought coffee.

Your home in safe hands on a 24/7 basis. This means that if at any point your alarm is triggered, you will get an instant notification sent to your smartphone app so you can take appropriate action.

Now do you feel ready to give our quiz a go? Test yourself!