Primary security

 

• Avoid leaving expensive items in areas where they can be plainly see from the street e.g. laptops on the window stilt in a street facing room.

 

• Ensure you residence has good exterior lighting, plenty of sensor activated lights

 

• Review the locks on your homes windows and doors, old window latches make it easy for thieves, deadbolts are the most effective for keeping them out.

 

• Avoid hiding spare keys outside on your property, thieves have a habit of finding them

 

• Ensure ladders and tools which will make it easier for opportunistic thieves to break into your house are locked away and not easily accessible

 

• Lock windows and doors at night when you go to sleep, if you have a 2 story house and a burglar alarm, set a partial arm for the 1^st story.

 

 

Secondary security

 

• Get a burglar alarm installed by a professional alarm company!

 

• Make sure your alarm installer has taught you how to check your alarm system is operating properly. Then set and adhere testing schedule every 6 months so you know your system will work when you need it to

 

• Consider getting a monitored alarm system installed

 

• Consider getting a guard dog (bigger scarier ones work best), then place a beware of the dog sign on the front gate. Thieves hate guard dogs as they often bite and bark to draw unwanted attention.

 

 

External security

 

• Join your neighborhood support group or learn how to start your own group if your neighbourhood is not yet involved .

 

• Place neighborhood support stickers prominently on windows and signs on street lamp posts.

 

• Consider renting an off site high security safety deposit box for storing high value and irreplaceable items

 

 

Holiday security

 

If you are going to be away from home for a week or more on holiday, your residence is at extra risk.

 

• Consider getting someone you trust to house sit

 

• Have someone regularly check your house and clear your mail box

 

• If you have a monitored alarm, let the monitoring company know you are going away so they can put your home on high alert

 

 

Summary

 

The more of these security tips you apply the less appealing your home will be to burglars, it works a bit like this joke..

 

Two campers were hiking in the forest when all of a sudden a bear jumps out of a bush and starts chasing them. Both campers start running for their lives, when one of them stops and starts to put on his running shoes. 

His partner says, what are you doing? You can’t outrun a bear

His friend replies, I don’t have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun you!

 

Moral of the joke is – you want to make your home less appealing than the guy next door, if possible make your home the least appealing on your street.

 

The NZ police have drawn up a sort of self security assessment page which is well worth a look