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Good home security doesn't mean you need to live locked in a fortress! Someone once said "Isn't it the criminals who are supposed to be behind bars...?"
But taking some simple common sense precautions is likely to make your home a far less attractive target to potential intruders. They are more likely to visit someone else who has not made life as difficult for them!!
Before you go on holidays - and indeed when you're at home - this security checklist will help your home to be less attractive to intruders:
Have a home security assessment carried out - most reputable security companies will do this free of charge.
Install automatic security lighting in dark areas outside your home.
Install a highly visible luminous street number - it's a great help to police and emergency services.
Clear shrubbery close to the house where an intruder could hide or use the cover to break into your home.
Always have your letterbox cleared every day - and cancel newspaper deliveries when you're away.
Do not install bars that could trap your family in case of fire.
Install smoke sensors - and test them regularly. Some types can also be connected and monitored back-at-base for enhanced protection.
Place a lock on your 240 volt outside power box.
Window locks and door deadlocks are effective deterrents - install them on the windows or doors most likely to attract intruders, but leave keys inserted or handy in case of fire
Record the serial numbers of all appliances, and consider marking them with your drivers license number or other means of electronic coding such as Data Dot.
Consider installing a back-to-base monitored alarm system - this helps to protect you while you're away, and while you're at home.
Ensure that an alarm system comes complete with portable wireless panic buttons, to help provide protection while at home (remember that 33% of all Unlawful Entry incidents occur while families are still at home!!)
Fit locks, and consider alarming external garages and sheds.
Fit a peephole or camera to the front door.
Do not leave packaging material for new TVs, etc out front - it's an open invitation for intruders.
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