1. Deterring would-be criminals is one of the most effective forms of crime prevention. Invest in a motion sensor flood-light or even some outdoor Christmas lights to highlight your home's exterior. This will hopefully make approaching your home too conspicuous for a burglar. Also, highlighting the fact your possessions are security marked and registered on Immobilise using window decals provide a further warning that your goods are traceable and not worth the risk of stealing!

2. Festive lighting - be secure. A common mistake at this time of year, is to feed extension cables through partially open windows, criminals know to look for this as a means of gaining entry. When it comes to outdoor lighting, opt for solar or battery operated lights or install outdoor electrical outlets.

3. Dispose of gift packaging carefully. Refuse collections over the Christmas and New Year period are normally at different times. If you can't take packaging to a recycling point, make sure you only put your rubbish out just before the collection and do your best to break apart boxes so that they do not advertise your lovely new presents to thieves!

4. Be careful not to advertise your home or Christmas gifts to burglars on social media. According to a recent study, social media is a commonly used tool for scouting potential targets. Social media savvy families have a tendency to publish their whereabouts during the holiday season, including any vacation plans. This lets burglars know when your house is going to be empty. Uploaded photos of pricey Christmas gifts can also be a problem as it basically allows burglars to go shopping just by viewing your Facebook profile.

5. Check doors and windows for weak spots. Government statistics show that 30% of burglaries happen through windows. Installing a few dead-bolts and new window hinges will increase the security of your home.

6. Keep your curtains and window blinds closed at night, making sure valuable items are out of sight. When going out for the evening make use of inexpensive timers to switch lights on to give the illusion of occupancy.

7. Away over Christmas - plan ahead!!. If you're going away at Christmas be sure to cancel any newspaper or milk orders. Arrange for a neighbour to park on the driveway to help create the impression someone is home. Do not to leave details of your absence on the telephone answering machine and again make use of light timers.

8. Secure garages & sheds. Make sure that garden tools and ladders that could be used to force entry into your home are not left lying around or accessible from an unlocked garden shed. Garages are often targets for burglars looking for tools, bikes and gardening equipment - make sure the garage is secure and your possessions are secured too in the case of bikes and tools.

9. Don't hide keys & use alarms if you have them. Burglars know to look for hidden door keys so don't hide spare keys under rocks, in flowerpots, or above door ledges. Instead give the spare key to family or trusted neighbour. Many houses these days have alarms, make sure yours is on and protecting your home.

10. Lastly, don't forget to register your gifts on Immobilise! Most consumer electrical items have a unique identification code such as a serial number or for mobile phones, an IMEI number - This IMEI number can be found quickly and easily by pressing the following keys on your mobile handset: * # 0 6 #. If your gift doesn't have a unique identifier there are several affordable marking kits available from the Immobilise store allowing the police to easily identify the owners of items they recover and so detect crime.

Hopefully your property will not be targeted by burglars and the advice provided above will help to keep your home safe.

For advice on how best to protect your property, contact Falcon Security Solutions http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/chepstow/business-guide/feature/falcon-security-solutions-1381770520.284

Have a very Happy Christmas and New Year!