Taking a couple of easy precautions can help to make your home and family more secure.

* Get into the habit of checking all of your doors and windows before leaving or bed.

* Be sure to turn on the alarm system- surprising numbers of people don't.

* Never carry your housekeys on a keyring that has your home address.

* When having repairs done, like oil changes etc. only give them the required key, and not the entire ring. This reduces the number of people who have access to both your address and your house keys.

* Don't leave an "extra" key hidden outside. Most burglars know where to look.

* A dog, even a small one can deter burglars simply because they can draw attention to the intruder.

* Reflective numbers on the front of your home or drive way will make it easier for emergency services to locate your house.

* When moving into a new home, rekey all of the locks. You never know who the previous residents had given keys to.

* Install and use a door chain lock. This allows you to talk to someone outside your door without opening it completely.