Summer is all about the beach, the theme parks in Queensland, camping, road trips and holidays. But for some unlucky home owners, summer is also about getting burgled. Our expert Collingwood locksmith shares top tips for keeping your home safer over the holidays.
Summer holiday home security tip #1: Make the home look lived in
If you can, enlist the help of a neighbour to park in your driveway, bring in the bins and remove mail. If the home seems occupied, thieves may be deterred and try another property.
Summer holiday security tip#2: Invest in locks on all doors and windows
Even smaller windows in the laundry and bathroom can be accessed by thieves. Invest in locks on all windows, and of course, dead locks on the doors. If you can’t make your home look occupied, this is the next best solution to prevent burglary. Locks on everything indicates a home owner who is security conscious. It gives the impression that even more security measures are hidden inside the property, which is a great deterrent to thieves.
Summer holiday security tip #3: Check the garage and shed
The garage and shed are great places for thieves to grab some lucrative items, like mowers, tools and ski gear. Because the garage and shed are less likely to be securely locked than the main house, it can be a very appealing opportunity to target. Make sure your garage and shed are well locked and protected in your absence.
Summer holiday security tip #4 Get a cat
Yes really! The dog will be with you on holiday or at a kennel, but if you have a cat, you can arrange for a pet visiting service to visit the cat in your home to feed it on a regular basis. Because cats are so self-sufficient and dislike being moved, this is often a great solution for caring for your cat while you are on holiday. And it comes with an added bonus: the cat feeder can keep an eye on your property for you.
Summer holiday security tip #5: Minimise risk
If the worst case scenario does happen and a thief is inside your property, there are still ways to make life hard for them. Keep valuables out of sight. Protect important papers and jewels in a safe, and keep the safe secure or hidden. Don’t leave cash lying around. Add identification numbers to your electronic equipment to make them hard to resell. Avoid obvious places to hide valuables like the underwear drawer or under the mattress. Try in an empty laundry carton or board game box instead.
Following these steps will give you the comfort of knowing you’ve done your best to prevent burglary this summer. Happy holidays!
