Tips On Preventing Your Home Being Burgled
With all of us spending much more time at home than we were used to, there’s been less opportunity for burglars to break in – but it’s a threat hasn’t disappeared.
With more opportunity now to get out and about for leisure or work, your home is likely to be left unoccupied more frequently. In the recent, extreme case of footballer Dele Alli, burglars even broke in and held him at knifepoint.
With all this in mind, consumer advice website MyJobQuote has put together a guide on how to prevent home burglaries.
Intrusion monitoring
An HD CCTV system is a must. Systems today captured images of the highest quality and burglars will think twice about coming near your home if they are aware these systems are installed. Have signs on your home that state you have security and intrusion monitoring in place, as this does deter intruders.
There are systems which allow security monitoring from your smartphone, and you can arm/disarm the system with the touch of a button. Consider something that can, for example, make sure the alarm doesn’t trigger when the children are coming home from school, or set timers. You can add additional lighting, sensor lighting, and timing for alarms to go off in the event of a threat. Many monitoring and intrusion companies also allow you to inform them when you are away.
Add motion sensor lighting
This is a great feature and these sensors are so ‘smart’ today, that it can detect motion differences between your dog, kids, and potential burglars. Motion sensors are also nice for when you are home. If you come home very late from work, or if you need a little light when you come downstairs for a snack at night, they will trigger, without waking up and alarming the entire family.
Upgrade to ‘smart features’
Consider upgrading to other ‘smart features’. For example, there are doors which will ring or notify you when there are nearby threats, and locksets allow you to use access codes or biometric fingerprint scanning, as opposed to a traditional key, to create more security. It also makes your home safer: you will always know someone is watching over your home, when it is notifying local police, or if it is simply a package being delivered at your front door when you are away from the house.
Utilise neighbours
It is a good idea to become friends with your neighbours as they can be your greatest ally when you are away from the home. If you are away, you can ask them to stop by your house, turn on the lights and mobilise things in the home. All of these ‘little details,’ go a long way in deterring potential burglars. Burglars typically try to go after homes that are empty and they will watch your movements and habits for weeks (even months) before they plan on an intrusion. If they believe there is someone in the home, they are less likely to attempt to break in.
Make sure you notify your security monitoring company that you are going to be out of town as well, so that if there is unusual activity they can call the police or otherwise notify you to ensure your property is safe for the duration of your trip. And you can take your holiday with peace of mind in knowing your home is secure.
Put up signs
You know those homes which have signs that say there is a dangerous dog on the property? Most people will stay away from those homes if they don’t know the owners, or if they aren’t familiar with the dogs. The same can be said of intrusion monitoring and high-quality security alarm systems that you choose to install on your property. If burglars know you have motion detecting lights that can catch even the slightest movement, or are aware of you having the best HD cameras to capture their movements and clearly see their face, they are going to stay away from your home. By simply putting up a sign in the front garden that you have home intrusion monitoring in place, you can easily deter potential threats before they ever come near your home.