Security in the home is at risk especially during hotter days when people become more careless. In fact it is surprising how careless people are when it comes to home security. People still leave spare keys under the mat, above the doorframe or even under a plant pot next to the front door. Leaving a key outside your door like this is highly irresponsible and may even in some cases invalidate any insurance cover you think you have.

It's hot so you open a few windows but make sure you close them before you go out. Even if you have a burglar alarm system a thief can be in and out before the police get there. You also raise the chances of a false alarm if there is a gust of wind that moves a curtain, which is detected by an internal motion sensor.

Garden furniture and tools cost a lot of money and thieves know this as well. Make sure you keep it out of sight from passers by otherwise you might as well put a big sign on it saying 'I'm expensive come and steal me and don't forget to checkout the valuables inside' Try and give the thieves the impression there is nothing worth stealing and that if they do you have the security systems in place to prevent and catch them.

A simple door entry announcement system would provide a simple and very cheap alarm system. These come in two types one is connected to the door and every time the door is opened the connection is broken and the alarm goes off. Slightly more expensive is a chime with a build in motion detector, which I believe is the better option of the two.

The small battery operated alarm with the sensor is more flexible and can be moved around the home, you can put it next to patio doors or in the hallway. You can also position it so that young children can get in and out the kitchen for drinks but if they ventured further into your home the alarm would go off.

The motion sensor mini alarm offers the easiest and quickest set up to improve the security in your home or business. Usually the sensors come with two settings so you can have a short chime to let you know someone has entered or continuous alarm so you know someone is somewhere they shouldn't be.

Another great way to use these mini sensors is on vacation so you know someone is not in your room whilst you are asleep. The last thing you want is to wake up with an intruder standing over you.

Don't give a thief a chance, remember most crime is of an opportunistic type and if you don't give them the opportunity then you are less likely to be a victim. Crime prevention is the best option so contact your local police department for further advice.