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Do you fit the profile?
How attractive is your home to thieves? To learn how to improve your home security and reduce the likelihood of your home becoming a target, at next to no cost, read on.
From the street
We all love our privacy, but remember that large shrubs and trees obscuring your home from public view may provide all the extra privacy a thief needs to access a window or door. Make sure your garden is well groomed, especially anything close to your home, which may also be climbed to gain access to an open window.
Movement-activated security lights are inexpensive and may help deter would-be intruders throughout the evening. Almost as effective are pets, which are great noisemakers, especially dogs.
Put away power tools, ladders, hammers etc. Not only can they be used to access your home, they are also surprisingly popular targets.
Ensure your house number is visible from the street. This will help the Police get there quickly in an emergency. In most cases, thieves strike between 9am and 5 pm, as most people are at work. The utmost care should be exercised during daylight hours.
Finally, remember the following simple points.
Thieves don’t walk through walls.
- Thieves usually enter your home via a door or window from the rear or side of your house.
- Keep your front door locked, even if you are in the back yard.
- Keep your garage locked at all times. Power tools are popular targets, as theft can often go unnoticed for weeks.
- Install quality deadlocks on all external doors.
- Key operated locks on windows are tough to penetrate, especially when locked.
- Never leave spare keys outside your home. Thieves know the usual places pot plants, mats etc.
- Remember that keys get lost. Never leave your name, address or any other details on a set of keys.
- If you lose your keys or move, it’s a good idea to change the locks.
- Make sure you give a duplicate set of keys to someone you trust.
Common sense - it’s not that common.
- Never leave notes on your front door saying that you are out or when you’ll be back.
- Your answering machine shouldn’t greet callers with "We’re not home at the moment", or "We are on Holidays'. Instead try "We’re screening our calls at the moment" or "We can’t take your call at the moment."
- If you aren’t expecting a visitor, ask who it is before opening the door.
- If you go on Holidays, have a friend, neighbor or relative collect your mail. It’s important to make your home appear "lived-in" at all times.
Where’s my stuff?
- If you arrive home and suspect someone may be inside, don’t go in.
- If your house is broken into, call the police immediately.
- Don’t touch anything. The Police need to see your home as you found it.
- If you have already registered your goods with Nerds, your revised register should provide the Police with an accurate record of items stolen.
- Revise your Nerds file. This gives you a much better chance of getting your property back.
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