According to the UK police force, homes which have no security measures are five times more likely to be burgled than homes where owners have implemented security strategies.
In a recent report by the Office of National Statistics and Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) there were an estimated 650,000 domestic burglaries from April 2016 to March 2017. Past surveys also show that winter is the most likely time of year a home, business or car in the United Kingdom will be broken into*.
In order to tackle break-ins and continue driving down crime rates, the UK police website provides a list of prevention techniques to deter potential burglars. The guidance recommends installing a burglar alarm that can be seen from the street and good outdoor lighting. However, homes can be made even safer with cameras and security systems available from high street retailers.
Head Buyer for Home Technology and Security Devices at high street retailer Robert Dyas Andrew Georgiou said, “Smart home technology has never been more accessible with Wi-Fi enabled cameras starting at around £40. The technology is easy to use and most gadgets are simple to set up.
“A great example of easy-to-use Smart Home technology is the Ring Wi-Fi Video Doorbell (£159.00). It lets the homeowner see and speak to their visitors without opening the door. Even if they are away from their property, people can see if delivery drivers and unexpected guests call at their home. Ring uses a free smartphone app and has a built in rechargeable battery.
“Devices such as the Canary (£159.00) all-in-one indoor home security system provides a live feed through an app on your phone or tablet. It features an alarm which can be activated via the app and a two-way audio function (subscription based) meaning that not only can you hear people in your home, you can speak to them as well.
“Motion sensors keep you alerted by sending a notification at any sign of movement. Paired with night-vision technology and HD cameras, users can clearly see who is in their home at any time. Most gadgets use an SD card or a cloud-based system to store information, such as recordings. Ultra-advance systems, such as Canary, feature air quality sensors, motion activated recording and a 90-plus decibel siren, which is bound to scare aware any unwanted visitors.”
Smart Home technology isn’t limited to simply improving security. Devices can work in tandem with energy-saving systems. For example, the Hive Active Heating (£249.00) system can be controlled from a mobile phone or tablet, allowing the user to pre-programme or schedule when heating is on or off in their home. Hive smart technology could save people up to £130 per year on their energy bills as you’ll never have to heat an empty home again.
Other energy-saving appliances, such as the Belkin WeMo smart plug (£49.99), come with energy monitors, allowing the user to see how much energy is being used. Philips have also introduced a wireless lighting system (£29.99) which can be controlled through a mobile app, or even by voice when paired with Amazon’s Echo home system.
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