While Liverpool is a vibrant and largely safe city, burglaries do occur, especially in student neighbourhoods. Opportunistic thieves often look for easy targets: unlocked doors, open windows, valuables in plain sight. By being consistent and vigilant, you can help make your home far less attractive to intruders.
✅ Your security checklist: What to always do
1. Keep entry doors locked at all times
Never leave your front or back door unlocked—even if you’re just popping out for a minute. Many burglaries happen through unlocked doors. Always double-check after leaving or entering. If your property has a security chain, lock as well as latch.
2. Shut and lock ground-floor windows, especially when rooms are empty
Ground-floor windows are prime points of entry. If you leave a room, even briefly, close and lock the windows. Don’t forget utility spaces (kitchens, bathrooms) which burglars might use as alternative access.
3. Avoid displaying valuables where they can be seen from outside
Laptops, tablets, phones, jewellery or even game consoles left in plain view from windows or in rooms facing the street attract attention. When not in use, store belongings out of sight—draw curtains, place items in drawers or cupboards, or stash them in locked cabinets. Also, consider marking your electronics (e.g. via Immobilise) so they’re less desirable to thieves and more traceable if stolen.
Additional guidance: Simple steps to reduce risk of burglary
- Below is further guidance you can follow. These are straightforward but effective:
- Use light timers or leave a light on in a room to create the appearance someone is in—especially at night.
- If you live in a flat or shared accommodation, make sure you know who is following you in to the building.
- In shared houses or flats, coordinate with your flatmates to maintain security standards (e.g. nobody leaves doors unlocked).
- It’s also worth registering your possessions for free with Immobilise, the national property register. This allows the Police to identify the owners of any recovered property, should the worst happen.
- Break down packaging of expensive items before recycling, so you don’t advertise new purchases to passing burglars.
- If your property has security features (e.g. deadlocks, window restrictors, alarm systems), use them consistently.
- Prevent flooding – know where your main stop valve is. Follow the winter weather advice from United Utilities.
Bringing it together
Your safety both inside and outside the university environment matters. In our previous article, we stressed how to stay safe when you’re out, walking at night, or using campus services. These in-home security measures are the complement to that advice, making sure you’re protected when you’re where you spend most of your time: your home.
Even if you’ve done these things before, consistency is key. Thieves look for slipups. A momentary lapse ,forgetting to lock a door as you dash out, can be exploited.
If you ever feel unsafe, spot suspicious behaviour, or want advice about specific security measures for your property, don’t hesitate to contact:
- Campus Support at 0151 794 3252
- Your landlord or managing agent
- Local police (101 / 999 in emergencies)
Stay alert, look out for each other, and let’s keep our homes in Liverpool as safe as possible.