A former detective has shared a £5 item that can help deter burglars as the clocks change this month. Rav Wilding, a former Metropolitan Police officer and Crimewatch Live presenter, appeared on BBC Morning Live on Thursday, October 1, to warn that households may face increased risk at this time of year.
Wilding said burglary tends to rise in autumn and winter, mainly because longer hours of darkness — particularly after the clocks go back — make it easier for intruders to operate unseen. The clocks go back by one hour at 2am on Sunday, October 25, marking the end of British Summer Time (BST) and a return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Why burglaries rise in autumn
“The dark is easy for a burglar to hide, not be detected, not to be seen - to go out, do what they want and get out. So that’s largely the reason and it's only going to get worse,” Wilding explained. He noted it will start getting dark from as early as 4pm in the coming months.
Wilding said BBC Morning Live had spoken to Hertfordshire Police, who noticed a rise in burglaries during autumn — a trend also seen by several other forces across the country.
Simple security steps to consider
BBC presenters Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton encouraged people to take straightforward precautions, with Jones emphasising it wasn’t about frightening anyone. Wilding’s top suggestions include:
- Sash jammer — a popular extra security measure for uPVC doors and windows, available in locking and non-locking versions. Fitted with simple screws, it helps stop a door or window from being forced open even if a thief bypasses the main lock. Wilding called it a “massive layer of protection and it substantially increases the chance” of your door or window not being compromised. It costs around £5, and multi-packs can cost about the same.
- Timers — plug-in timers, from around £10, sit in a socket and can switch devices like a lamp or radio on and off automatically while you’re out. Wilding recalled an expert on the BBC show who once put a speaker on a timer and forgot to turn it off, so it played all night and a neighbour assumed there was a party going on.
- TV light — Wilding called this “one of my favourite things we have in home security”. It costs around £17 and creates a flickering light effect like a TV from outside, making it look as though someone is home. “I think I really do a great job of making a home look occupied. And ultimately that's what you wanna do - you want to make it look like someone is in your home,” he said.
Other recommendations
Additional suggestions include securing your shed, as tools stored inside could be used to help burglars break into your home. Motion detection lights can illuminate anyone who shouldn’t be there and may scare them off. CCTV options range from wired to battery and solar, though Wilding warned: “You don’t want too much of your neighbours' private business being captured - just be reasonable about that and make sure you are considerate of them.”
UV marker pens let you mark belongings with details like your address or postcode, so if they’re stolen and later recovered, you can prove they’re yours. Doorbell cameras act as a “visible deterrent” that can record footage and is “good for evidential purposes”, and in many cases can start recording before someone reaches your home.
