Security insights to help you make an informed choice
10 RULES TO PREVENT CRIMINALS FROM BREAKING INTO YOUR HOME
It’s a global fact that when people start protecting their homes with anti-theft devices such as alarms and electric fencing, crime goes down.
Stick to these 10 rules and your house will become less of a target for burglaries:
- Never leave desirable items such as bicycles lying around your property. This will just encourage petty criminals cruising the neighbourhood to gain access to your home in order to steal whatever they’re able to grab quickly.
- If by leaving your curtains open your TV and other valuable items are easily spotted by pedestrians on the street, you should rather keep them closed at all times.
- Make sure it’s difficult for intruders to gain entrance onto your property by installing burglar bars, security gates, electric fencing and alarm systems . Criminals most often go for soft targets and with house burglaries most of the time they want easy, quick access in and out of the property.
- Don’t leave items lying around your property such as step ladders, loose bricks and axes, which could potentially assist a thief to gain entry into your home. Also, keep your garden shed and garage locked when they’re not being used as the tools stored within make great break-in tools and even weapons for criminals.
- Make sure that all your perimeter doors are fitted with extra-strong, good quality locks and if you happen to misplace your keys, call a locksmith to replace these locks. Always keep your spare set of keys well hidden.
- Install bright outside lights at the back and front of your house, which switch on via a motion detector. These lights may scare off potential burglars and will alert you to the fact that there is an intruder on your property.
- Check your outside perimeter to make sure that you don’t have low-lying branches close to your outside wall. Thieves use trees to gain access over high walls and electric fences. Chop down any foliage that thieves can potentially hide behind and ambush you when you enter your property from the outside.
- Never leave perimeter-door security gates unlocked when you are home. This is one of the most common ways that criminals enter your house when you are at home.
- Have panic buttons installed in easy-to-get-to areas. They are linked to the security company you are using. Don’t hesitate to use these panic buttons if you suspect someone is trying to break into your property.
- Finally, never, ever advertise that you are leaving your home whether you’re going out for a couple of hours or a couple of weeks. Don’t make a big fuss about leaving and if you have a second vehicle leave it in a prominent position where potential criminals can see it from the street. This may lead them to believe someone is home. And, of course use the oldest trick in the book and switch your TV on to provide some activity in the house. If you’re going on holiday try use a house-sitter and if that’s not an option then at the very least ask your neighbours on all sides of your property to keep an eye out for suspicious activities.
