Pontefract, Leeds, Wakefield,
Doncaster and Barnsley.

Letterbox Burglary Prevention Tips

22nd September 2020

Pontefract Locksmith Solutions
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Pontefract, Leeds, Wakefield, Doncaster and Barnsley.

It is common knowledge to every homeowner that good security measures should be installed on your front door in order to help keep their homes secure. This is why it is so common for people to call out a reliable local locksmith to come and upgrade their door locks to higher security locks that either meet or exceed the current British Standard. This is common practice that almost everyone will consider when it comes to their home security, however one thing that is often overlooked is the potential security risks that your letterbox poses to your front door security.

What is Letterbox Burglary?

Letterbox burglary is exactly that! A burglar will use your letterbox to either gain entry to your home or use a hook like tool to steel other valuable items such as car keys and wallets. A burglar can reach up through your letterbox and try to unlock the door from the inside, this is why it is not advised that you leave house keys inside the door after you have locked it, it is also a good idea to store keys well out of sight from the front door this will stop a burglar being able to fish them out using a hook! This is a very common method burglars use to gain entry and steel other valuables and it requires very little skill, unlike picking or breaking a lock.

How To Prevent Letterbox Burglary?

  • Never leave house or car keys within view of the lock, or indeed inside the door. This is especially important if you have glazed windows on your door. It would also be wise to have a quick peek through your letterbox so you know exactly what a burglar would be able to see if they were to have a look through your letterbox. It is also advised to keep any wallets or personal information out of view from the door.
  • You can replace your current letter box to one that has a built-in draught excluder. Draft excluders are rows of bristles that cover the edges of your letterbox. These are handy as they can also serve a security purpose. By having the draft excluders on your letterbox, it drastically reduces what potential burglars can see through your letterbox making steeling anything much more difficult.
  • You could consider having an anti-burglar letterbox fitted to your door. These letterboxes have been specifically designed and vigorously tested to ensure that they cannon be snapped or vandalised, as well as meeting current security standards.
  • Letterbox restrictors can be installed. These work by controlling how far the inner flap can be lifted, this will stop burglars from being able to fully open your letterbox leaving no room for hands or tools to be pushed through.
  • You could remove your letterbox entirely and use an external letterbox instead. This can be quite costly so not usually everyone’s first choice, however if you are considering replacing your front door in the future then it would defiantly be worth considering one without a letterbox and then install an external mailbox.

Burglars are constantly looking for new methods of gaining entry and steeling goods, and this is something the security industry are continuously working to combat, so it is vital that you keep up to date with all of your home security measures and ensure that every security measure you implement either meets or exceeds current British standards, this will give your home the best possible defence against potential break-ins.

If you need help implementing any of the letterbox security measures we have mentioned or you require other security upgrades then contact our expert team at Pontefract Locksmith Solutions today – 01924 637498