The winter nights are drawing in. It’s dark when you leave home and dark when you return. Sadly, these are the perfect conditions for opportunist criminals to target you and your home. Your Advice Service has recently been informed by the local police that there is currently a rise in thefts from student houses in Coventry, particularly residential homes out in the community that are not covered by campus security. But all is not lost! Follow these 5 simple steps to make sure you are doing all you can to avoid becoming a victim of theft this winter.

1. Leave home, lock up. Simple, right? And yet how many times have you rushed out of the house and forgotten to shut that bathroom window? Or got halfway down the street and asked yourself ‘did I lock the back door...?’ It’s easily done, but it also makes it easy for opportunistic thieves to get into your house. Always get into the habit of locking up when you leave, even if you know your housemates are still inside – you all have your own keys for a reason! We’d also recommend keeping back doors and windows locked even when you’re in the house. All it takes is an unlocked door into an empty room for a criminal to see an opportunity and take it – regardless of who may be at home.   

2. Lock up, lights on. A useful trick when it comes to deterring thieves is to make it look like you're in the house, even when you’re not. An easy way to do this is to leave a light on when it’s dark and the house is empty. This is particularly useful if you are planning to leave your accommodation empty over a longer period of time – in the holidays, for example. “But our energy bills!” we hear you cry. It’s true, it’s not easy to be so luxurious with your lights when you’re on a student budget. So why not consider energy saving lightbulbs? Or you could also invest in a timer that you can set so your lights will turn themselves on and off during a set time period while you’re away to help save power (and therefore money!).

3.  If they can’t see it, they can’t steal it. Of course, this isn’t always the case - but it’s true that leaving valuables so blatantly on display does make them more vulnerable to theft. If an opportunistic criminal is strolling by your house, glances in through your front window and sees your brand-new laptop sitting there in full view, the temptation to try a smash and grab is going to be greater. Don’t make it easy for them! Close your curtains or blinds. You can even buy things like reusable privacy film to help you keep your stuff out of sight of windows and doors. Privacy film is easy to install and isn't too expensive - it's a simple sheet (usually made of plastic) that you stick onto the inside of your window, which can be easily peeled off and moved, so don't worry about damaging the windows!. It'll let light in, but not allow people to see through the window, which means your belongings will be safely out of sight. They come in lots of nice patterns, too, for all you aspiring interior decorators!

4. Insure to reassure. If the worst does happen and you find yourself in a position where you’ve had things stolen, the experience will be a whole lot easier for you if you have insured or tracked your belongings in some way. Our campus police community support officers (PCSOs) recommend you register all valuable belongings on Immobilize, a website service that allows you to have the police track any stolen items by checking the serial numbers against their own databases, making it much more likely that they'll be able to recover your items for you. There are also loads of great places that offer student contents insurance - a type of theft and damage insurance that covers all the items within your household, including your furniture, kitchen appliances, bedding, TV, computer equipment, and jewellery. Contents insurance can also cover your laptop, mobile phone, and portable games consoles, but only when they're inside the house - your phone won't be covered if you drop it while you're walking around campus! This type of insurance can be invaluable when it comes to all sorts of disasters, not just theft - it also covers damage or loss from fires, flooding, and other accidental damage (with options to pay extra for different types of damage, such as damage from a pet). You can read more about contents insurance here on the Citizen's Advice website. Don't forget to do your research before picking a contents insurance provider to make sure you're getting the best insurance for you at the best price!

5. If in doubt, keep them out. Sometimes thieves can break into your house when you’re standing right in front of them. A common technique certain criminals use is to knock on your door and pretend to be either selling something or posing as a professional who has come to read the gas metre, check the boiler, fix the plumbing etc., They either do this so that you will let them in or so that you will be distracted while their companion breaks in through another entrance like a back door or open window. This is why it is extra important to make sure all other ways into the house are secured before you answer the door. If you open the door to someone you don’t know or are not expecting, don’t let them in straight away! Instead, ask them who they are and why they are here. Ask to see official identification if they claim to be from a company or professional organisation. Finally ring your landlord to check if an appointment of the nature they are describing has actually been made for that date and time. Try not to buy or subscribe to anything from a door-to-door salesperson, instead take some details and research thoroughly in your own time before deciding if it’s something you want to pursue. You can never be too careful!

We are all vulnerable to being targeted by criminals to some extent – but following these 5 simple tips will help reassure you that you are doing all you can not to make their job easier. If you would like to find out more about how to keep your home and belongings safe during these darker days and nights, why not come along to our housing fair on 7^th November? Your campus Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will be there and would be delighted to meet you for an informal chat and to answer any questions you may have about your safety, as well as to provide you with free resources and advice from the experts.

For now, stay safe, and we look forward to maybe seeing some of you on the 7^th!