For most of us home burglaries are someone else’s problem until suddenly one day we suffer it ourselves. We know that it happens to other people and when it happens it can cause serious damages, financial, physical and psychological. Yet we are not serious about our security and care the least about getting protected beforehand. We take risks in the belief that it always happens to others first and pay dearly for the complacency.

Get Rid of Risks

Let’s have a look at some of the silly risks that we take which can have serious consequences. Closing the doors and windows when out of the home is one of the very basic things to do. Still it’s surprising and even shocking that a great many among us just don’t bother to close them properly. Same is the case with side gates and garden sheds, we have the habit of leaving them unlocked. And then, if we happen to lock the doors we generously keep the keys outside under a mat, on a ledge or below a flowerpot. It’s like saying to the burglar loud and clear that he is most welcome to rob your home. These are easily avoidable risks that we are taking and we would do well not to take them.

Beating the Burglar

There are many things that can be done to reduce the risk of being burglarized. It’s not about making your home a formidable fortress but doing simple things which anyone can do if they take it seriously.

• Always lock the doors and windows when you are out of the home or even elsewhere within the home
• Use the same type of locking system for all the doors
• Secure windows with keyed locks and security grates
• Keep your home well-lit at night with motion detecting sensor lights
• Install a good quality home alarm system and get it monitored properly
• Clear up any camouflage around the home in the form of overgrown trees or plants
• Have a dog or hang a ‘Beware of Dogs’ sign on the outside gates

The Opportunist Burglar

One thing we all should remember is that most burglars are opportunists. They see an opportunity and take it. And unless we provide the opportunity in the form of an unlocked door or window it would be difficult for any burglar to get in. If we are a bit more vigilant about the way we keep our home and show a bit more awareness of the happenings around us we would certainly make our home a not-so-welcome-one for the burglar.