Top tips for enhancing your home security this Christmas

It’s Christmas! And while many of us will be busy feasting on mulled wine and mince pies with family and friends, others will be looking to take advantage of our empty homes and piles of presents.

Luckily, there are basic security tips we can all follow to help keep our homes safe and secure this Christmas.

Melanie McDonald, Head of PR and Internal Communications for Anglian Home Improvements, warned: “The holiday season is a prime time for burglars. Amid the hustle and bustle of the Christmas celebrations, it is important to stay vigilant when it comes to keeping your home safe and secure.”

The home improvements firm has five fabulously punny tips for keeping the burglars at bay this festive period:

* Lock, Stock and Carol

40 per cent of burglars in England and Wales gain entry through a forced door, so make sure your lock is up to the job. And as tempting as it may be, don’t leave windows or doors ajar for Christmas lighting cables.

* Home Alone

Make sure your home looks lived in while you’re away, using light timers and cancelling milk deliveries. Ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on things in your absence.

* Covert Christmas

Piles of appealing pressies may be too much for an opportunist thief to resist, so try and keep your gifts out of sight.

* Instagram Actually

Think twice before you share details about where you are and what presents you’re harbouring via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

* Jingle Bell Box

Dispose of present packaging discretely - a hint of the expensive goods that may be inside your home could be a green light for burglars.