Keep your stuff safe at uni!
A quarter of all burglaries are through an open or insecure door or window, and take place within a few weeks of a new term, when everyone has their shiny laptops and so on lying around. It’s easy to forget about security in the excitement of being at uni, so to help, Saga have put together a Student Survival Guide. Get one here, or call 0800 015 4752.
You can avoid becoming a crime statistic by doing a few security checks and labeling your goodies. (Not those ones.) Here are some suggestions from Saga:
Before moving in, ask yourself:
- Does the property have outside lighting?
- Is there a burglar alarm?
- Do all external doors have five-lever mortice deadlocks?
- Do internal doors and ground floor windows have locks?
- Is there a safety chain on the door?
- Is there a lock on all windows?
Tips on protecting your belongings:
- Use a UV marker pen to mark possessions with your name and student ID number or parents’ postcode, or use one of the forensic coding liquids that are now available
- Ensure your property is securely locked when you go out. (And avoid leaving notes saying ‘I’m out’. Amazing numbers of people do this.)
- Keep a separate record of credit card numbers in case cards are stolen
- Use a timer switch for lights and radios to give the impression you are in
- Make sure your TV, DVD and other valuables can’t be seen from the outside
- Don’t leave your mobile lying about - keep it hidden when not in use. Register your mobile on www.immobilise.com so it can be blocked if stolen and returned to you if found
Oh, and get some insurance too. Lots of providers offer student deals, so have a shop around. Here are some places to start…
Saga
Endsleigh (recommended by the National Union of Students)
Cover4students
(By the way, this isn’t a recommendation from us – you need to do your own research, and we’re not responsible for the content of external sites. Although we still like you.)
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