THERE has been a sharp rise in residents bolstering the security of their homes in the last year, a CCTV firm has said.

Michael Birchall, who lives in Kearsley and runs MBCCTV, fits security systems in homes and shops in the borough as well as across the country.

And since the first coronavirus lockdown last March he has experienced a massive upturn in business.

He thinks this is because some people have more disposable income to spend as they have been unable to use money on leisure activities such as holidays.

Michael, 51, who also fits burglar alarms, said: “My main source of work is domestic jobs and in the last year the number of enquiries I’ve had has been absolutely massive with the amount of people ringing me.

“There has definitely been a big increase in business since the first lockdown.

“I have been doing this for 12 years and this has been by far the busiest year I’ve had.

“Instead of getting one or two jobs a week I am getting 10 to 15 enquiries every week.

“People have not been able to have holidays, the pubs have closed and people have not been socialising, so some have got more money to spend and they have got CCTV systems fitted.

“Quite a few people have had their burglar alarms upgraded as well.”

Seeing the aftermath of a break-in is a regular occurrence for Michael, a situation that never fails to shock him.

“I have become immune to it but it is still shocking”, he said.

“I hear that many different tales of different things that have happened.

“The problem I have is that I get there after the event.

“People are always too late but that is just human nature.”

Another issue Michael faces is that some residents fail to report crimes because they believe police will not be able to solve them.

He thinks otherwise.

Michael added: “A lot of people do not bother reporting small petty crimes or vandalism and criminal damage because they think the police are not going to do anything.

“But people should still report minor crimes because the more that are reported the more of a chance there is of police doing targeted operations.”