Money hacks Six steps to help you deter burglars while away

Whether it is a fortnight's holiday, a weekend away or just an evening out, if you are planning a trip during the summer months you should take steps to secure your home against burglaries.

- Shane Hickey

Prepare your home

Put valuables out of plain sight so they are not easy to find should anyone gain entry. The West Midlands police warn that many criminals will be after car keys, so if you are not driving to your destination hide the keys in a safe, secure drawer or even take them with you. Putting them into a Faraday pouch (£6 at Halfords) will help prevent relay theft, whereby criminals use electronic devices to intercept the signal from key fobs and steal vehicles. Using a steering lock will also help.

Avoid obvious signs that you are away by cancelling milk and newspaper deliveries, and don't order anything online that may end up sitting on your doorstep.

Using timers for lights (from £5.99 at Screwfix) will give the illusion that you are there in the evening. These plug into a socket and can turn on an attached table lamp at intervals set on the device.

Motion sensor lights, usually used outside, can also deter criminals. Alex Parker-Walklate of the brokers Intelligent Insurance says they can also alert neighbours to suspicious activity.

There is the potential for other nasty surprises as well as burglary. Turning off your water when you leave the house can prevent the threat of flood and water damage.

Consider an upgrade Home alarm units are graded from one to four, the higher being the more secure. Grade two is appropriate for most homes, says Parker-Walklate, and will include motion detector sensors around the perimeter of the home. It is important that an alarm is accredited by the National Security Inspectorate or the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board, he says.

You should consider whether you want a monitored system, which contacts a key-holder or the police if there is a break-in, or an unmonitored one, which just sounds an alarm.