[ad] Could you Do More to Protect your Home while you are Away?
In Barcelona alone, 7,000 apartments are robbed every single year. When you look at worldwide statistics, they are surprisingly higher. This alone shows that it doesn’t matter where in the world you are because there will always be crime and if you are not careful then you may end up being a target.
Hide Valuables
If you are having a stranger come to your home, whether they are a plumber, electrician or even a conveyancer, you have to make sure that you put all of your valuables out of sight. Sometimes criminals will have aliases, or they may even make the effort to dress up like professional servicemen. Other people will just be opportunistic, but either way, you have to make sure that you do everything you can to deter them. Don’t leave your purse out on the table and also make the effort to put your earrings out of site too. If you don’t then you may find that you end up being a target for crime.
Take out Insurance
If you do not have a quality insurance policy, then this won’t be doing you any favours. You have to make sure that your home is protected in the event of a break-in and that you also don’t just take out the minimum level of cover either. Of course, if you want to boost your protection then it may also be worth taking out bicycle insurance too.
Install a Better Lock
Did you know that it only takes a burglar 60 seconds on average to break into a home? As if that wasn’t enough, 73% of robberies happen as the result of the criminal entering through the front door. For this reason, you have to make sure that you have a high-quality lock installed. The locks that are at the highest risk of snapping include cylinder locks. It’s highly recommended that you install pin tumblers, or that you have a lever key. These are the most reliable.
Protect your Windows
Another way for a criminal to enter your property would be for them to break in through the window. If you want to stop this from happening, then you need to have grilles installed if you live on the first or second floor in an apartment building. If you are concerned about having grilles installed in case there is an emergency then it helps to buy ones that can be unlocked. When you do, you will soon find that you are able to stay safer without having to worry about a thing.
Keep your Paths Clear
If you own your property, then don’t let thieves think that nobody lives there. Mow your lawn in summer, and make the effort to keep your paths clear in winter too. If you are going on vacation, then you have to make sure that you don’t leave the mail piling up outside your door. Ask a neighbour if they wouldn’t mind coming to clear it for you, or even have it redirected.
Throw Away Boxes Properly
If you throw away a box for a widescreen TV, then you may be attracting thieves. This is especially the case if you leave the box in a visible place outside your home. If you want to avoid this then tear the box up before throwing it away, or take it to your local recycling centre. When you do this, you will soon find that you are able to reduce your chances of making your home a target.
Check Your Locks
If you come home and see that there are some abnormal scratches on your locks then this could indicate that someone has tried to break in. If this is the case, then you might want to change your locks, or you may even want to invest in a high-quality security system.
Sunlight
If you have your curtains shut for more than a few days in a row, then this could indicate that nobody is home. Not many people in the world like to live that way, so when you leave your property, try and make sure that you leave the curtains open. This is especially useful if you are going on holiday for a long period of time. If you want to take things to that next level, then it may help to invest in some smart lights. When you do, you can then set your lights on a timer so that they turn on and off at certain points of the day. This will give the illusion of you being at home and it will also make your property way more secure.
