Prioritising home security in 2023

ACCORDING to Stats SA, housebreaking (house burglary) is the most common crime experienced by households in South Africa.

A total of 983 000 households experienced house burglaries in the 2021/22 period. “The second most common type of crime experienced by households is home robbery, which affected 155 000 households,” stated their report.

This report sees the crucial need for home security and for the public to stay alert as safety is important to consider at all times.

Group head of communications and marketing at Fidelity ADT, Charnel Hattingh, recommends five easy steps when drawing up your New Year’s security resolutions:

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•     Join a suburb WhatsApp group. This is an easy way to stay on top of trends in your suburb and street and to get help in an emergency. All the area’s security companies and members of the CPF are in these groups and can quickly react to suspicious activity or emergencies.

•     Get to know your neighbours. Safer suburbs start with communication between residents. Your neighbours can keep an eye on your property if you are away or at work, and vice versa. They can also easily spot something out of place if they know your daily routines.

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•     Invest in more outdoor security systems. Good home security starts with a secure perimeter, which then needs to be supported by proper security on the actual outdoor areas of the property – the garden, entertainment areas and the garden shed. Electric fencing, outdoor beams, CCTV and sensor lights are proven deterrents.

•     Be more vigilant. Talk to the family about things like leaving and arriving home, locking doors and security gates, being cautious of strangers at the gate and knowing what to do in an emergency. Everyone should know how to quickly reach their security company and the police by phone or by using the alarm system and panic buttons.

·     Have a security assessment done. Advice from a security expert can help you decide on security to suit your lifestyle and living spaces. Technology has evolved tremendously to complement modern homes and lifestyles while keeping criminals at bay and getting you the right help when you need it most.