It’s a nasty crime, which usually lasts 12 to 20 minutes, but its consequences can haunt you a life time. That’s a classical home burglary, which you definitely want to avoid by any chance, when you are travelling abroad.. However, let’s be honest … Protecting your home isn’t rocket science at all. Even without an all mighty and rather expensive alarm system there are numerous little tricks and ideas you can use to upgrade your home security. Some of those ideas cost nothing more than a little time and effort.
Here are my top 10 tips that will keep your house safer.
- Lifechanger? – Change the Locks!
The easiest way for any burglar is to have a door key or the passcode for a keypad lock, in order to get into your house. Hence, have you ever thought about changing your locks after you purchased your new home? Most of us have definitely just accepted the keys before thinking even twice about the number of people, who may also have a set of copy of those keys.
You need another story to persuade you? How about this: You just ended a relationship and therefore visit another country with your friends to get over it. However, you still legitimately worry that your ex might still have the key for your front door. Easiest way to avoid those situations – change the locks or the passcode and control, who has access to your house.
- Trim those Bushes
In order to pull off the great heist of breaking into a house, burglars are keen on hiding in the yard or in the garden close enough to your house. The rhododooodo ehh.. I mean, the rhododendron bushes alongside your house might look awesome, but they will also provide certain burglars a comfortable hiding place.
Therefore, I would suggest having an open space that runs up to the building. However, if you don’t want to give up your lovely bushes, I would just avoid keeping them near for windows.
- Hiding your Spare Key
Everybody knows this classical problem, when you leave your home for a long vacation. Should you hide it under the carpet in front of the entrance or maybe under a vase?
I have got a much more entertaining and safer method. Do you have any a dog as a pet, which mostly stays outside or enters the house via a pet door? Just tape a key securely to your four – legged friend’s collar, where it can’t be seen. If you have more than one dog … that’s even better! Just attach the key to the dog with the least likely to be friendly to strangers – Easy! 😉
- Avoid a Room with a View
It doesn’t look very secure if everybody can see your 62-inch television, the iPad on the couch or other valuable electronics through the windows from the sidewalk. Take some time, step outside and take notice what you can see. Remember, everything you see, is visible for thieves as well.
So if possible try to move valuables out of sight from the street. If you can’t move them, make sure the windows are always covered!
- Neighbours
It is vital to know your neighbours, especially the neighbourhood gossip. Don’t worry, we are not telling you to start affairs or stalk other people a la ‘Desperate Housewives’. However, befriending the gossip queen in town will help you know everything that happens on the street. They will let you know as so as a stranger is lurking around your house, when you aren’t here.
- Hide External Wires
If you haven’t known it yet – Cheeky thieves are always for the lookout for copper, because it can be sold for a decent amount of money. Copper is mostly found in wiring, especially in air-conditioning units.
Moreover, burglars will try to cut off the external wiring, in order to switch off alarm systems, phones and obviously electricity before breaking in.
Hence, make sure that all the external wiring is well-protected, hidden or difficult to get to.
- Oh Baby Turn on the Light, Turn on the LightÂ
Okay, the song title is actually ‘Turn off the Light’ by Nelly Furtado. But don’t follow the original! If you live on a dark street or the entrances of your home are in dark areas, you could use motion-sensor lights that turn on to the slightest activity close to your house.
The lights itself don’t have to be spotlights, but should be bright enough to creep out any unpleasant visitors.
If you are away from home for a long period, use timers on lights, which makes your house look occupied.
- Clean Out the Garage
Many homeowners use their garage to store so much old furniture and so many boxes of useless stuff. Due to this, many people end up parking their car outside. However, by cleaning up you garage and parking your vehicle inside, you prevent your car from being stolen/ vandalised and it will be harder for burglars to predict if you are at home or not.
And don’t forget to lock the garage door whenever you leave – Beginners mistake!
- Hide Valuables in Walls
So many unused spaces in the walls between the studs – why not use this space and turn it into the perfect place to hide jewellery, guns and other valuables? Watch out though, you will have to use a plate that was previously used for a landline or electrical outlet, or just install a fake one.
- Lock your Doors and Windows
We do forget the simplest action to take, in order to prevent thieves and burglars to break in. It is actually scaring how many people don’t bother to lock the doors or windows, when they leave. Some do forget and others just ensure that they live in a safe neighbourhood.
So don’t forget – the majority of thieves look for the easiest way in, which can make their job easier, when the door or any ground-floor window is open. Always double check if everything is locked up and safe before you burst out into the sunny beaches of Maledives or face numerous adventures somewhere in South America.
