Garage security is often overlooked by homeowners who are thinking about security for their property. Understandably people often think of high value goods being kept in the home rather than the garage. However, the average person’s second most expensive purchase after their home is their car, and where is this kept overnight? In the garage, and if it isn’t then the place is only full of junk, right? Wrong.

Let’s think about what is in your garage;  bicycles, expensive gardening equipment such as lawn mowers and strimmers, hand tools, power tools such as electric drills, electric saws etc. All of these items are not necessarily expensive individually, but if your garage is broken into and a burglar steals your families bicycles, lawn mower and a couple of power tools, it could easily cost over £1000.

You may think that garages are pretty secure though. The door is made of metal and usually the rest of it is built from brick apart from the window at the back of the garage which no thief would be able to get a car through unless they were a magician. However, once entry through the window (usually single glazed) has been achieved the common up and over garage door can be opened with a simple twist of the handle from inside. What if you have no window and no other means of entry to your garage other than through the main door? Surely it is secure? I’m sorry to disappoint you, but although garage doors are made from metal they are notoriously weak. They are easy to bend and the locks are easy to break.

Check your garage door. Does it have one locking point (usually at the top of the door) or three? The three point locking system is best. It will lock the door at the top and either side, but it can still be opened easily from the inside once entry is gained.

Fitting a Garage Defender lock will really help to protect your garage against intruders. The Garage Defender uses a base which is either cemented or bolted into the floor just in front of the garage door. A horizontal metal bar is then locked onto this, stopping the door being opened from both the outside and inside.

It is also a highly visible deterrent to thieves who would rather move on to another, less secure garage.

Alarms are also a great way to keep your garage secure. There are many types on the market from simple door alarms to expensive systems designed to detect motion. We have a range of wireless alarms which can be fitted to your home but also provide cover for your garage or outbuildings. These alarm systems can be set up to cover different zones. You can therefore protect your garage, outbuilding and home on the same alarm system. As an example, you can set your alarm at night to cover the garage, but still be able to move freely around your home.

The main thing to do when thinking about garage security is to calculate how much the contents are worth and secure it appropriately. At the very least I would advise putting up security warning signs to help deter intruders. Remember, if your garage looks more secure than the one across the street it is less likely to be targeted by thieves.