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The nine best ways to prevent burglaries
All victims of burglary say the same thing – you feel your privacy has been violated and it takes time to feel safe again in your home. While stolen goods are quickly forgotten, since they are reimbursed by the insurance company, the trauma is harder to overcome.
No house is completely safe from a burglary attempt. But there are some very useful and often simple tips – many of which are just good practice – which could help you to protect your home.
We have selected the nine top tips for you to adopt daily or before setting off on holiday.
Reducing the risk of burglary
Inform the police if you plan to be away for an extended period
The police can pass by your house free of charge during their rounds. Simply inform the police station of how long you will be away or on holiday.
They will stop by from time to time to go around the outside of the property, checking for attempted break-ins and ensuring that everything is in order.
Don’t advertise the fact you are going on holiday on social networks
Social networks are great tools for burglars. They can find out from Facebook or Instagram when you plan to be away, whether you are on holiday, what valuables you have, etc.
If you are unable to resist the desire to announce your upcoming holiday, at least avoid communicating the dates. We also advise you to change your privacy settings so that you only share your photos with your friends and family.
Prune hedges and bushes regularly
Large bushes near doors and windows provide very handy hiding places for burglars. It is also a good way of indicating that the house is regularly maintained, especially if you are away on holiday.
A neglected house can be a sign of prolonged absence and will be a better target for thieves.
Close curtains and shutters
Avoid furtive, prying eyes – obstruct their view by closing curtains, blinds or shutters. That will be one less opportunity for burglars. If they don’t know what they will find and are unable to gauge the level of security of the house, they will be less likely to try to break in.
To make life harder for thieves, ask your neighbour to open them during the day and close them again at night. This will make the house seem inhabited (or at least monitored).
Do not let the post overflow
An overflowing letter box indicates a prolonged absence and could tempt a burglar. When setting off on holiday, ask someone you trust to collect the post each day.
Secure your home (and make this clear to burglars)
Install CCTV cameras
These technologies have now become very cheap. For about a hundred euros, you can install some CCTV cameras that communicate via Wifi and provide you with real-time feedback on your smartphone. This is the simplest solution, because as well as being cheap, they do not require any wiring.
Install an alarm system
An alarm system is a step up in terms of security. A camera is not a deterrent, but an alarm is – especially if it is connected to a control centre. That means that as soon as the alarm goes off, security experts check for a possible break-in and call the police if necessary.
The most modern alarm systems are also connected to your smoke detectors, meaning that the fire service is alerted in the event of a fire. Consider this when planning your system.
Install automatic lighting
Along similar lines to CCTV cameras are connected bulbs, which you can control from your smartphone. You can even set times for them to turn on and off as they would in normal life.
If this solution still seems too expensive or complicated, there remains the “old fashioned” solution of connecting your lamps to timers at the socket.
Find all the Police advice here.
Help the insurer to compensate you for stolen property
Take photos of valuables
This is a good habit to get into which could save you a lot of stress in the event of theft or total loss. Make a list of all your valuables and photograph them. Compensation will be simpler and faster.
