Protect your home against break-ins

Some are staying at home during the coming holiday for fear of leaving their house empty for a few days.

From April 2013 until March 2014 there were 407 cases of malicious damage to property in Springs, 955 cases of burglary at residential premises and 88 cases of aggravated robbery at residential premises.

Here are a few tips on how you can prevent this from happening to your home.

Don’t advertise you’re away

The first thing a burglar looks for when choosing a house for a break-in is one with no-one in it.

• If you make your house look occupied when you’re gone, most burglars will simply pass it by.
• Use automatic light timers throughout the house and have them turn on and off in a way that simulates your normal patterns.
• Look for light timers that have battery back-up so the timer doesn’t stop if there is a power failure.
• Using timers that have more than one on-off cycle can create the illusion of movement from room to room.
• The same kind of timers you use on lights can also be used to turn radios or TVs on and off.
• Drapes that are always closed or always open suggest no-one is home.
• Arrange to have your lawn cut if you’re going to be gone for a long period.
• Instead of stopping your mail and newspaper delivery, ask a neighbour to pick them up and keep them for you.
• Seeing deliveries being made makes a burglar think someone is at home.
• Ask a neighbour to use your trash can from time to time and to put it out at the curb and bring it back on trash day.

Source: www.webmd.com