Making your home sweet home less attractive to burglars

There are two kinds of people – those who are security conscious even when at home and those who leave their doors unlocked when they leave the house.

Fearlessness is enviable, but it is definitely a good idea to be part of the first team.

Many burglaries are opportunist crimes, with an easily accessible entrance all many need to make their move.

Crime prevention is not only a job for the police but also for homeowners and, according to Raine & Horne Rockingham Licensee/Director Paul Curran, security features not only deter an opportunistic offender but they can increase the saleability of your home.

“Security screens and doors, as well as locks on windows, are a great deterrent and worth looking out for when buying a home,” he said. “When you’re buying a house, you are looking at so many other things that it can get quite overwhelming, but at the very least look for these features as part of your security checklist.”

Every homeowner has a different idea on how best to secure their home once they have moved in, but Mr Curran said there was one simple thing everybody should do.

“The best thing you can do once you have purchased your house is to get a locksmith out and re-key the locks so nobody else has access to your house,” he said.

“Although it may not completely prevent a break-in, it gives the homeowner peace of mind.”

Alarm systems are also worth installing to secure your home and are available in different forms with different settings.

Remote sensors may include door and window switches, sensors triggered by movement, glass breakage sensors and shock sensors, however, Mr Curran said these systems only worked if homeowners put them to use.

“You wouldn’t believe how many people have alarm systems and don’t use them,” he said. “Invest in the function to isolate different alarms, such as just the perimeter so you can move freely inside or, when you are leaving the house, alarm the whole thing.

“If you have got a shed, get that alarmed too; your shed tends to have things like lawnmowers, whipper snippers and tools, which are all worth money and are therefore a target for thieves. People often forget about their sheds.”

Burglars do not like to be seen, so keep your house well lit with sensor lights.

“Sensor lights are a great idea, but you need to check them regularly to make sure they are working,” Mr Curran said.

“People get home when it’s daylight and the sensor light doesn’t come on and the first time they notice that the sensor light isn’t working is when someone breaks in.”

Finally, ensure bushes and trees at front doors and windows are trimmed to prevent an opportunist from having time to work.

“If there are large trees and high bushes, a burglar can hide behind them and remain invisible from the street,” Mr Curran said. “They have all the time in the world to break in, so it is important to keep these maintained.”

Securing your home is all about making your home less attractive to burglars, with Mr Curran saying to make sure your house isn’t the easiest in the street to break into.