Don’t let criminals catch you unawares, pay attention to the small stuff
Keeping your garage closed is a simple step to ensure greater safety as an open garage also gives criminals time to scout for valuable items such as vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles, gardening tools and leisure equipment.
It is often the small details that leave us vulnerable to crime in our homes.
This is according to Fidelity ADT Linda Goodenough, community development manager for Fidelity ADT.
She said the following trends have been observed and provides advice on ensuring greater safety and security:
- Front doors and garage doors left open.
This is an open invitation to criminals. Most garages have a side door that that leads into your house and this can be an obvious weak area.
Tip: Ensure all doors visible from the street are kept closed at all times Leaving dustbins out the day before collection.
Dustbin day is a weekly routine for most homeowners. Leaving dustbins out the night before encourages dustbin diggers the day and night before.
Tip: Only take your dustbin out the day of collection and on the day, ensure your domestic or gardener closes the gate immediately behind him/her when doing this weekly routine. You never know who is watching.
- Leaving garden equipment on the pavement.
“We observed on three occasions gardeners leaving the gardening equipment on the side walk while they went to the back of the premises to fetch something, or went out to lunch,” said Goodenough.
Tip: Remind all domestic and gardening staff about safety and the importance of remaining vigilant at all times
- Leaving curtain open at night.
It is so important to close curtains at night. Many homes are visible from the street giving criminals a good look at what potential assets are in the home.
Tip: Always close all curtains as soon as you need to put inside lights on.
- Distracted when you arrive home.
When you arrive home it is important you are not distracted by social media or your radio when you approach your driveway. You need to be especially aware of driveway robberies.
Tip: Remove all distractions as soon as you turn into your road
- Not checking your gate is closed when leaving home.
Tip: When you leave, just wait a minute or two to see that your automatic gate has closed behind you and nobody has run in whilst the gate is busy closing.
“These simple safeguards can make all the difference. Criminals know the tricks of their trade so it makes good sense to avoid the small things that can so easily trip us up,” concluded Goodenough.
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