Security is an aspect so close to our hearts that all our activities are done with caution to keep us safe and secure.
Ask a friend for help.
While travelling, ask a friend to be going to your house once in a while to check on the place and your car. Leave your contacts to be easily reachable. If you asked several people to be checking your house while you are gone, let them know about each other.
Don’t publicize your travel on social media.
The anonymity of the internet can encourage us to share personal information without fully realizing that strangers are receiving our messages. You should think twice about posting your travel plans on social media especially if that information is visible to internet users other than your friends and family.
Avoid parading expensive possessions.
Keep expensive items such as jewelry, electronics and furniture out of plain sight or in places that can easily be spotted through the window.
Unplug all electronic devices.
Unplug all the electric appliances when travelling to protect them from power surges. It will also help you save power as many appliances draw energy even when they are turned off.
Examine your immediate external surroundings.
Take a close in the external surroundings of your home and take not of all its weaknesses. The best way to protect your home is to look at it as if you were the thief. If you can easily tell that the fence is too low and one can easily jump in or a specific window can easily be broken that is exactly what the burglar will also think. Thieves know how to spot weak locks that could be easily forced open. Make sure exterior doors have deadbolt locks.
Keep all shrubs and hedges around your home trimmed.
It could be near entrances or walkways. Make it difficult for the thief to hide while attempting to break in .You can plant thorny shrubs by your windows so as not only to make it difficult for them to break in but painful as well.
Upgrade your fence.
Solid fences are easy to climb and offer thieves a place to hide, though some homeowners prefer them for privacy and noise reduction. If you have a solid fence use sharp pointed tops or electric fencing.
Keep your compound off clutter.
Toys, tools, bicycles, ladder, grills all these can be used to break into your house or can give thieves the idea that there are a lot of expensive goodies lying around inside the house such as laptops. Store items that can easily tempt a thief inside the house or in a store.
Invest in your security.
Select security features that best fit your needs. It could be dogs, an alarm system or cameras install motion sensors lighting around your home especially at entrances and dark corners of your compound. Be sure to go with a well known, reputable company. Once it’s installed, make it a regular habit to use it. Learn and inform your family about the security system to cut down on false alarms. If living in a flat ask your landlord to install enough lighting to avoid dark corners. Clearly display your house number to make it easy to track especially when calling for help.
Know your neighbors.
A community that makes an effort to know each other reduces the rate of crime that is likely to happen in their neighborhood. This is because neighbors who know each other and can easily spot a stranger. They can also alert you of any suspicious activity that might occur in your absence.
Advocate for increased lighting in the street.
Before burglars strike, they usually case out an entire neighborhood to determine if it is a good target .They do so mostly at night. A well lit neighborhood may make it difficult for them to strike.
Form a neighborhood watch program.
Not only will you get to know your neighbors better but it will also present an opportunity to interact with people who are just as determined to make your neighborhood safe. Invite the police to give you a few safety tips or how to cope with insecurity.
Keep your doors locked.
Keep every entrance to your home locked at all times because thieves strike whenever it is convenient. Such include gates, backdoor, front door and garage. Never leave your home without locking the front door, no matter how brief your trip.
Change locks.
Change the locks when moving into a new place to be secure. You may never know how many copies were distributed and to who. If you are renting ask the landlord to change the locks.
Use shiny windows.
Line them with privacy shiny film to distort the view from the outside and reduce the chances of window shopping or alerting an unwanted visitor of your presence or lack thereof.
Use a switch timer.
Purchase a light switch timer that can turn your lights on and off automatically according to a programmed schedule. Criminals keeping an eye on your house will notice lights flipping on and off, and will probably assume someone is in the house.
Lock up your valuables.
Make sure that when thieves break in, it will be difficult for them to find your valuables. Do not leave them lying around instead place them in a safe or a secure place that can easily be locked.
