January 19, 2015
This holiday season you may have had relatives descend on you, friends camping on the lawn and kids sprawled out on every piece of outdoor furniture. While your attention has been on the season’s activities you may not have noticed the strange car in the street, the person lurking on the corner or the group of youths passing by.
We’ve recently posted about things to do during the Summer Holidays when you are going away such as clearing your mailbox and keeping the lawns mown but break-ins occur while people are at home as well and there are things you can do to reduce that risk right now.
With all your new gadgets and gismos it is absolutely fine to be showing them off to your friends, but advertising their existence in your home is another story. Ensure packaging from these is not displayed out on the street by the recycling bin.
Any new expensive toys for kids or outside items should not be visible from the letterbox, it only promotes the idea that you have objects worth stealing. Unfortunately, there are a lot of opportunistic thieves out there who will gladly take advantage of anything left out for them and will make plans to break-in if they believe that such action will yield them something worth the effort.
The next time you come home, take a look from the street and see if there are items around that look attractive to thieves. If your house is protected by security, have a sticker to the company that attests that prominently displayed.
Consider having your property fenced or gated, not only does it protect kids from the road but the kids and your property from the people on the road. If you are lucky enough to have a lawn or some plants, keep them looking respectable. The care you take on your property shows that you have a presence at your home and this acts to deter loiterers.
Most importantly, develop a good relationship with your neighbours. This little gem of advice is absolutely crucial during times when you are away. A solid neighbourhood support network means additional eyes around the street and peace of mind.
If you feel you require extra security in the way of cameras, alarm systems, alarm monitoring or security patrols then give us a call 0800 NUTECH (688 324).