Living in such troubling times as today, during the onset of a recession, brings out the worst in society. Statistics show that during an economic downturn when people are struggling to make ends meet, crime rises, with burglaries being one of the biggest problems. Homeowners must take into consideration the security issues that blight the country during uncertain times and make a concerted effort to protect themselves against unforeseen issues.
Lock it up Tight
Homeowners must think about securing their properties immediately to deter potential intruders. The common sense solution is making sure every door and window is locked whether you are out or inside your home. Most external doors have three locks, so take an extra twenty seconds out of your life to ensure they are all locked.
58% of all burglaries are perpetrated at night, so having timers for your lights could be the difference. The timers will turn different lights on and off in your house if you go out in the evening. This will ensure potential burglars believe someone is in the house and they will look for easier prey instead.
If you do go out in the evening, make sure you draw all the curtains and place valuable possessions out of sight, because we do not want to encourage a potential thief to choose your house over others in your community. Always hide the keys to your garage, and do not leave them on display to an opportunist, who will take advantage of the situation.
External Factors
Good exterior lighting and visible burglar alarms are an efficient deterrent, because most burglars are opportunists who will aim at an easy target.
High fences and perimeter walls around your garden are a much better option than trees and bushes, because foliage could provide suitable hiding places for intruders. Do not leave tools or ladders out in your garden, or anything that could be used to aid an intruder looking to break into your property.
Neighbourhood Watch
Starting or joining an existing Neighbourhood watch program is not only a good way to cut crime, but also a great way to make your community safer, together with likeminded individuals. These schemes provide the perfect opportunity to meet people in the same boat as you, and keeping an eye on the property of each other will give you peace of mind, especially if you go away for a couple of days.
Comments
What a really interesting article on Home Security.
I have two doors to my property with two different locks and they are both locked when I go out even if working down the garden for which is a long way.
Urn I have timers on such as the dishwasher, dryer, washer and immersion heater so as they only come on when it is cheap electric but not thought of putting them on for lights. So I will now be getting two or three more and putting them on some lights so that when I do go out I and am back late they will come on to make it look like I am in. What a great idea.
Hope Mr Burgular with his swag bag will go else where.