The European Championships can be a time of emotional euphoria when your national football team is winning, you’ll be constantly checking the live football scores on your phone and checking when the next game is on, and who will be against who. It’s a very nerve-racking but exciting time! However, if you don’t get your home defence tactics right, you could find yourself in a world of disappointment.

Figuring out a way to stop the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale from penetrating a team’s defensive line might be tough, but when it comes to protecting your home things don’t have to be so tricky.

Anyone that’s ever lost themselves in a major sporting event like Euro 2016 will know that when the action is reaching fever pitch, there’s little else that matters. However, taking your eye off the ball when it comes to home security, even if it’s just for a few minutes, can be extremely costly.

According to British Beer and Pub Association, more than 3.5 million people will watch a Euro 2016 game in their local pub which not only means good business for landlords, but for criminals. As outlined by home security experts Verisure, an empty property is a vulnerable property.

Surveying the victims of 516 home break-ins, Verisure has uncovered some potentially worrying facts for any football fans this summer. Fortunately, with a bit of knowledge and some solid tactics, you can ensure your home isn’t a target when you’re out cheering on your national team at Euro 2016.

Verisure’s Tactical Insight into Break-ins

  • 15% of Burglaries Occur in Less than Five Minutes: It really doesn’t take long for a burglary to happen and Verisure’s researchers have found that it almost 1/5th of break-ins take place in average amount of injury time added to a football match.
  • 10% of Burglars Are Known to the Victim: Knowing the movements of a victim is just as important to a burglar as it is to a defender tracking an attacker. Verisure found that 1 in 10 victims knew the criminal which also means the criminal knew they would be out of the house doing something as innocent as watching a Euro 2016 game.
  • 70% of Burglaries Involve the Theft of High Value Items: Whether it’s your TV, laptop, iPad or your car, thieves will often target high value items; especially if they know the victim. So, while a pint and some footie might make for a cheap 90 minutes of entertainment, failing to protect your home during that time can make things extremely expensive.

Hone Your Defensive Tactics with Verisure

Knowledge and tactics are the best ways to succeed on the football pitch, but they’re also the best ways to protect your home against criminal. Reading through Verisure’s “Insights into Home Burglaries” infographic will give you all the insights you need to outmanoeuvre criminals this summer.

Using this knowledge in conjunction with the Verisure Smart Alarm System will give you a defensive line that provides real-time protection when you’re watching football down your local.

In fact, if you want to keep a clean sheet this summer and watch Euro 2016 worry-free, then Verisure’s Smart Alarm System is the obvious choice.