Local crime. Sensible protection.
The North East is a great place to live and work, but burglary and anti-social behaviour still affect thousands of homes and businesses every year.
Crime across the North East
The numbers behind the need.
Northumbria Police area · 12 months to Dec 2025
burglaries recorded
anti-social behaviour incidents
Durham Constabulary area · 2024/25
anti-social behaviour incidents
business & community burglaries (Oct–Dec 2025)
Both anti-social behaviour figures had fallen compared with the previous year — but they still represent dozens of incidents every day, alongside continued residential burglary across local neighbourhoods.
Burglary figures updated automatically on 22 July 2026 from the Home Office / ONS official Police recorded crime open data (Police Force Area tables; Northumbria 12 months to Dec 2025, Durham Oct–Dec 2025). Anti-social behaviour figures are sourced and dated separately and checked by hand, as no equivalent open dataset is currently published.
Deter · detect · record
Make your property the harder target.
Burglars and opportunistic criminals often look for the easiest, least protected property. A visible alarm bell box and professionally positioned CCTV cameras immediately show that your home or business is protected. An alarm detects and raises the alert; CCTV records people, vehicles and suspicious activity.
A strong visible deterrent
Signs, bell boxes and cameras make criminals think twice.
Early warning
Instant alerts the moment entry is attempted.
Recorded evidence
Clear footage for police or insurers.
Reassurance
Peace of mind whether you're home or away.
Protecting homes and vehicles
Many burglaries involve unlocked doors, weak access points or criminals entering a home to locate car keys. Vehicle crime can also involve people checking doors, targeting vans for tools or approaching keyless vehicles during the night. A properly installed alarm helps detect entry, while driveway CCTV can capture people, vehicles and the direction they travel.
Anti-social behaviour & vandalism
CCTV can also help with repeated nuisance, trespassing, vandalism and anti-social behaviour. It lets you see what's happening without confronting anyone, and provides a clear record of dates, times, people and vehicles.
Deterrence. Detection. Evidence.
A harder, riskier, less attractive target.
No security system can guarantee that crime will never happen. But a visible alarm and quality CCTV can make your property far less appealing to criminals. At MS Security Systems, we recommend the protection your property genuinely needs — without scare tactics, unnecessary equipment or pressure.
Arrange your free security survey →Practical advice
Simple steps that make a real difference.
Good security isn't just about alarms and CCTV. Small changes can make your home or business much less attractive to opportunistic criminals.
At home
- Keep car and house keys away from doors, windows and letterboxes.
- Store keyless car keys in a tested Faraday pouch or signal-blocking box.
- Keep jewellery, cash, laptops and valuables out of sight.
- Don't leave packaging for expensive items out with the recycling.
- Lock doors and windows, even at home or when popping out.
- Keep side gates, sheds and garages locked.
- Don't leave ladders, tools or bins where they could help access.
- Use timer lights when the property is empty.
- Avoid advertising holidays or absences on social media.
- Consider security lighting around entrances and driveways.
- Check CCTV is clean, recording and showing the correct date/time.
- Set your alarm when you leave — use part-set at night if available.
Protecting vehicles
- Remove bags, tools, loose change and electronics from view.
- Lock the vehicle and check it manually before walking away.
- Keep keys well away from the front door.
- Use a steering-wheel lock as a visible deterrent.
- Park in a well-lit area covered by CCTV where possible.
- For work vans, add extra locks and remove valuable tools overnight.
For businesses
- Keep high-value stock away from windows and public view.
- Limit access to offices, stockrooms and staff-only areas.
- Store cash securely; avoid leaving money on-site overnight.
- Change alarm codes when employees leave.
- Give each authorised user their own alarm code.
- Secure external doors, shutters and emergency exits properly.
- Cover entrances, yards, car parks and delivery areas with CCTV.
- Regularly check cameras record clearly, day and night.
- Keep shrubs, displays and bins from blocking camera views.
- Display alarm and CCTV warning signs clearly.
- Report repeated suspicious behaviour early.
Layered protection
Security works best in layers.
Strong locks slow an intruder down. Lighting and visible cameras increase the chance of being seen. An alarm raises the alert, while CCTV records what happened. The strongest protection comes from combining sensible everyday precautions with a professionally installed alarm and CCTV system.
Get your free security survey →