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“Meh”, we always think…” It won’t happen to me”, “Malta is safe” …. and then the inevitable happens: You come home and your place has been ransacked by burglars looking to make a quick buck, having stolen your irreplaceable and most valuable possessions!
It is very unlikely that there are full-time career criminals making a living from just stealing, so most burglaries are opportunistic and executed by amateurs. Theft usually occurs when you do not pay attention to safety rules and for instance leave something unprotected, visible or in the open. How many of us have forgotten to lock the front door or have simply left it open when we dash to the corner shop? The time has arrived for all of us take precautionary measures as part of our everyday living in order to ensure that we, as well as our possessions are safe. We have some home security tips that are mostly common sense while others are ingenious! Here they are: ue
Doors
- Always close the front door and lock your home, even if you are going to simply stand outside, a short distance away within view chatting to a neighbour. All a thief needs is a split second of your divided attention and an open door with all your valuables in full view!
- Make sure doors fit tightly in their frames and that there is no room for a blade or hacksaw between the frame and the door.
- Always make sure the hinges of all external-facing doors are on the inside of the home.
- Invest in double glazing for windows and sliding doors.
- Have a separate security door installed at your front door.
Lights
- Get timers to switch lights on and off when you are not home, or do it remotely via an app if your home is equipped with smart technology. Also do not have the same lights go on at the same time every day…that signals that you are most likely not at home.
- Do not let external lights stay on during the day…that clearly shouts “No-one’s home!”
- Install spotlights with motion sensors.
Keys
- If you ever lose a set of keys, replace your locks and NEVER have a tag with your home address on it! Rather have it read: “If found, please call [number]”.
- Never hide a spare key under the welcome mat, a pot plant or on a window sill…it’s the first place a burglar will look!
- Install top push-bolt locks on sliding doors.
Alarm
- Get a wireless alarm system installed that is also tamper proof. It is far too easy for a burglar to simply cut the wires to a siren or sensor.
- Get a faulty alarm fixed if it goes off frequently for no reason, as people will tend to ignore it very soon if this is the case. Just keep in mind that alarms are triggered for a reason, so you also may have a burglar triggering the alarm in order to groom you and your neighbours for a possible break-in by de-sensitising you!
Security
- Do not let mail, junk mail, newspapers and accounts pile up in your letterbox as it acts as advertising that no-one’s home. Get a neighbour or friend to clear the pile daily.
- Never let a stranger into your home, not even if they “collect for charity”, “are from the church” etc. Always check the references of new cleaners and make sure the references are bona fide…it’s all too easy for a thief to set up a friend as their “reference”.
- Never be tempted by someone wanting to enter your home on “an emergency”. Ask them for a number of someone you can rather call on their behalf.
