Home is where the heart is. It is also where our most valuable assets are kept and memories are made so it is important to ensure security is reliable. You might think your home is secure, but there are a number of less obvious risks that could alert thieves to a vulnerable property.
These risks might not jump out to you at first, but potential burglars are always on the lookout to exploit the smallest chink in your home’s armour. Read on to see if you might be leaving your home exposed and what you can do to address these less obvious home security risks.
Alarm systems
The best proven theft deterrent is of course the alarm system. A combination of triggers, lights, cameras and alarms will ensure your house is secure and your neighbours hear about it. Combined with TIOC active cameras or any cameras at all, an alarm system is a powerful and capable deterrent to would be intruders. You can receive an alert to your smartphone before an entry is gained.
The not-so-secret key
If you are someone who hides your key under a doormat or a rock, it’s time to rethink your strategy. These hiding places are usually the first place an opportune burglar will look. You really are leaving your home exposed.
We understand that this does have its benefits, you might lose or misplace your key or even lock your keys inside the house. Investing in an actual key hider and placing it in a not-so-obvious location gives you the best of both worlds. You will be able to gain access in the case of an emergency but you won’t be encouraging thieves to look in obvious places. For example, conceal your rock-shaped key hider amongst other rocks, instead of having it stand alone.
Outdoor Lighting
There is a reason that most burglaries take place under the cover of darkness. Making sure the perimeter of your home is well-lit is an effective thief deterrent. Be sure to map out your property and place lights over entrances, driveways and back porches.
Motion-activated lights are the best option for a number of reasons. Firstly, they will conserve energy. Security lights also help to provide better images for your camera by illuminating the subject and assisting the camera to provide a full colour image. The camera itself with AI technology can provide a light and alarm in its own right when activated.
They will give a potential burglar a mighty fright when they are thrust into the spotlight which will send them scarpering and thirdly, with thoughtful placement, they could light up a wider area than standard static lights.
Valuables
This one might seem obvious, but people sometimes still leave expensive items on show. Remember, if you can see out, they can see in. Placing that expensive vase or ornate pottery on the windowsill could invite a burglar inside to see what else you might have.
If you have a ground floor bedroom, remember to put expensive things like jewellery away in drawers before you go to sleep and ensure your phone is not on show too. Making sure that curtains or blinds are completely opaque will also eliminate any risk of interest in your big TV screen too.
Foliage
Your garden might be a natural paradise for birds and animals but if it’s overgrown, thieves might think that you are neglectful in other areas too – like security. A neat and tidy garden reflects a careful and meticulous owner who is most likely security conscious and therefore not worth the risk.
In taking care of your garden, make sure that your hedges and bushes are trimmed too as not only can they provide hiding places, but some bushes can obstruct views from windows where burglars can creep by unseen.
Kerbside waste
Have you just bought a brand-new HD TV? If you’ve put the box outside for rubbish collection, you could be advertising it to burglars. Slice up the cardboard into smaller pieces and place it inside recycling bins if there is space. If not, the smaller pieces will still hide the original contents of the box from prying eyes and idle hands.
Post
Going away? A sure sign that a house is empty is a pile-up of mail in the letterbox. A quick look at the dates on the newspapers will even tell a thief how long you have been away.
Avoid this by informing the post office of the time that you will be away so they can suspend your service. It’s also a good idea to arrange for a good friend or neighbour to pop by and collect any mail that may have slipped through the net. Having people come and go creates activity outside the house too, giving the illusion that people are home.
Social media
It is also unwise to post about your holiday on social media while you are away. Wait until you get back to share your snaps from the beach or the mountains as potential thieves monitor public pages. All it takes is a simple search for words like ‘trip’ or ‘vacation’ and because social media defaults to public sharing, your absence will be advertised.
If you must post your pictures before you get back, make sure that you have switched to a private setting so only those closest to you, or connected to your social media are able to see them.
Cover all of your bases
Statistically, most burglaries occur during the daytime. It’s imperative to activate your alarms when going shopping, dropping the kids off at school or just popping to the store. Ensuring your windows and locks are factory-installed will add another layer of security too.
To check out the latest range in security systems visit Casa Security Services in Perth, specialists in state-of-the-art home, commercial and government systems.