Listen up,punks:it's time for a criminological theory lesson.In 1982,social scientist James Q.Wilson proposed that urban disorder and vandalism had an effect on wider crime and anti-social behaviour rates in major inner cities.He stated that monitoring and maintaining urban areas by keeping them in well-ordered condition would help keep crime and vandalism on the downlow,and various empiral studies have since proved him right.It's called Broken Windows Theory,and you can read about it in books.
But why read books when there's a whole weekend of DIY time stretching out ahead of us?Answer:there is no reason to read books.Instead,as TV presenter and interior designer Julia Kendall attests,you can spend a little time tidying up your garden and the exterior of your home to help discourage thieves.
"For the most part there is a lot you can do to make sure your house is more secure,"she says,speaking via and intercom and locked behind bulletproof glass."Even just something like fixing the front gate and making sure that it's got a decent bolt on it can put off would-be thieves.
"It comes down to making sure the front of your house looks like it's somewhere you care about,"she says."If you have got a hole in your driveway,dodgy mortar work or whatever it might be,people are going to think maybe the windows aren't quite so secure.That's a very valid point."
Making sure your gates and fences are in good working order and sprucing up your doorway with a fresh lick of paint are all solid ways of making your home more welcoming to guests and more subtly deterring to would-be burglars.
Outdoor wall lights can also play a part.Be sure to have them installed if you regularly open the door to guests at night,while porch lights set to illuminate your garden if triggered by a motion sensor can also act as a security measure.
