Beckham burglary: How to protect your home from theft
Watch: David and Victoria Beckham left 'shaken' after burglar breaks into their London mansion
The Beckhams have been the victim of a home burglary, it has been reported.
David and Victoria Beckham's house was reportedly broken into by thieves while the couple and their daughter, Harper slept inside.
The burglary of the family's Kensington home is believed to have occurred late in the evening while the Beckhams were at home with their 10-year-old daughter on Monday, February 28.
According to reports, the break-in was not discovered until son, Cruz Beckham, 17, returned home from a night out and found a broken window and a spare bedroom which had been “ransacked”.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed to the PA news agency that officers had responded to reports of a burglary at a residential address on the W11 area of Kensington shortly around midnight on 1 March.
They added that a number of items were reported stolen. No arrests have yet been made and enquiries are continuing.
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News of the Beckham's burglary comes as last year it was predicted there would be a rise in burglaries post-lockdown and will no doubt make others more aware of their own home security.
"While during the pandemic we saw a small reduction in the number of household burglaries, the fact remains that every 106 seconds a house is burgled in the UK," explains Robin Knox, CEO of home security company Boundary.
"And worryingly the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that 58% of burglaries take place when the homeowner is at home.
"High profile examples of burglaries demonstrates that we should all take care to be vigilant and protect our homes at all times."
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What you can you do to protect your home from theft
Be social media savvy
By making sure your profile is as private as possible. If you’re adamant on keeping it public Knox suggests a few things you need to make sure you’re not doing including avoiding posting any group photos while you’re out of the house and instead waiting until you’re back home.
"It’s also worth double checking what you’ve already shared online when it comes to your address, and deleting anything that may point a burglar to the right place," he adds.
Know your risk times
ONS data highlighted that burglars tend to time their burglary attempts on weekdays, most likely targeting properties when homeowners are out at work or are least likely to be at home.
Invest in a home security system
You may already have a typical home alarm system installed in your home, and although this can deter some potential thieves, they’ll be able to spot the ones that aren’t as reliable.
"If you’re looking to invest in a home security system, it's important that it provides all-round protection," explains Knox. "Look out for those that have motion sensors, can be controlled with ease through an app (great for if you’re away on holiday), and even those which include automatic police response, which makes it more likely that your intruder will be caught red-handed."
Some smart burglar alarms allow the system to switch on lights or play music should a sensor be triggered. This can act as an additional deterrent to ward off would-be burglars.
Don't be alarm complacent
Don't be fooled that because you have a smart video alarm system that you will remain theft-free as all this really does is show that there's an intruder.
"If you can, get a police response alarm system," suggests Knox. "Burglars know which suppliers provide this service."
If you do have an alarm it is also important to remember to activate it, especially at night. "Preferably find an alarm solution that has a reminder function," Knox adds.
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Tap into your Neighbourhood Watch
If you are going away, make sure that your immediate neighbours (that you trust) know so they can regularly check in and keep an eye out for you and if your alarm sounds they can act.
"This could be as simple as asking them to remove newspapers and post from your doormat (especially if they can be seen through a glass panel), to opening and closing your curtains and turning some lights on in the evening – all of which would indicate someone was at home and ward off potential unwanted visitors," explains Knox.
Check your deadlock is working
If you’re not sure what the deadlock is and where it’s located, according to Knox it is typically the rectangular shaped lock found underneath the door handle.
"It’s so important to check this is working properly, because if it doesn’t actually go all the way into the door frame, burglars are able to get into a property without leaving a trace," he explains. "They can simply use a debit card to slide it through and open the door, so even if you think you may have locked up, it still might not be burglar proof."
Be bin savvy
It may sound simple but try not to leave bins out at the front of your house longer than you need to.
"These are sign that you could be away or out and can be used to help burglars get over your fence," Knox adds.
Additional reporting PA.
