6 Great Tips for Burglar Proofing Your Home
According to Stats SA, the official government department of statistics in South Africa, housebreaking is the number one crime in the country, reaching a staggering figure of about 1,3 million incidences in the 2018/19 year. This alone should be reason enough for you to consider burglar proofing your home if you have not yet.
Mr Henning Jacobs, a trauma support co-ordinator at ER24, says, “House robbery is by far the most common traumatic incident people face in South Africa, especially in Gauteng. As a trauma counselling team, about 50% of the calls we attend to each month are house robberies.”
While this points out the risk we all face, it certainly does not mean you need to live in fear. You simply need to be responsible and take the necessary precaution to help protect yourself, your family, and your possessions. Here are some great tips to help you do just that:
- Install or Upgrade Your Outside Lighting
The cover of darkness is the friend of nefarious characters. Make sure that the exterior of your home is well lit to eliminate places for burglars to hide. Motion-sensor lights are ideal for driveways and access points.
- Keep Your Trees and Shrubs Trimmed
Overgrown gardens offer many great hiding places for criminals. Gardening might not be the burglar-proofing tip you expected, but keeping your bushes and trees trimmed back to minimise the areas where a person can hide, helps to deter potential burglars.
- Install an Alarm System
An alarm system is a great deterrent. Typically, an armed alarm system will have a light visible on the outside of the house, warning criminals that the house is protected. If it is linked to an armed response service, you also have the added peace of mind that you and your family have backup when needed.
- Take These Precautions When Leaving Your House Unoccupied
Do not let your burglar-proofing efforts go to waste when you are not home. Make sure all windows and doors are locked and your alarm system is set when leaving your house. Leave on a light or two, and have a friend or neighbour collect your mail and cut your grass if you are away for an extended period.
- Check That Your Door Hinges Are on The Inside
Criminals are resourceful. Visible hinges on the outside of exterior doors is an invite for burglars to attempt to gain access. If the hinges are exposed, they can potentially tap the hinge pins out in order to lift the door of its hinges. Simply moving the hinges to the inside to avoid them being exposed is a great way of burglar proofing your entrances.
- Get Reliable Burglar Bars and Gates for Your Windows and Doors
Access control is obviously the best way of burglar proofing your home. For this, there is no better option than the top-quality range of retractable security barriers, burglar bars, and roller shutters available from Sequre. Contact us today to get a quote. We will come around and install your security features, so that you can sleep peacefully knowing your home is protected.