Home Security Measures – The Popular Options
It is upsetting to note that despite the advance of technology and society in the 21st century, that crime continues to linger and provide a prosperous career for those that choose to revel in its antics. Perhaps more popular than most crimes is burglary. Seen by petty thieves as a quick and easy ‘win’ and by experienced criminals as a good balance of risk and reward. Did you know:
- Most burglaries take place between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m
- Almost 30% of burglars enter a home through an unlocked door or window.
- The majority over burglaries take less than 10 minutes
It is worth nothing for properties of all values that home security should be kept at a high standard. Here are some of the more common and proven ways to deter criminals from targeting your property. There are many approaches to take and all should be considered carefully before simply throwing money at the problem. This article from a UK police force has some good information from those in the know.
Cameras
In the world of CCTV and technology allowing us to view cameras in and around our home from any location in the world, it is easy to see why cameras are the first thought in home security. Not only providing homes with evidence in case something does go awry, having visible cameras is a strong deterrent for those who might be surveying the neighbourhood. We are aware that not many houses want to have ‘ugly’ cameras protruding for their walls, however with great designs that can be incorporated into many different aspects of a property, modern home camera systems are as subtle as they are reliable.
Gates and fencing
While most homes don’t want a mesh fence with barbed wire going across the top of it to ruin the aesthetics of their property, they do want the peace of mind and security that it would provide. It seems that having a fencing or a wall surrounding your property will deter potential criminals as well as increasing the privacy offered to the inhabitants of the property. The presence of a gate also allows you to keep track of exactly who is entering and leaving a property.
In recent years, there has been a fall in the number of people using burglar alarms as these more modern and effective methods come in to common use. A Mayfair estate agent has seen this change in standard security measures across the years “When I first began a burglar alarm was seen as the most effective and sure fire way of protecting your home. This is no longer the case, as what is the point in an alarm when the nearest police are 20 minutes away.” It is true that cuts to local police will affect “In some of our most high-end properties I have seen security conscious individuals install fingerprint-activated locks, security shutters that lock down as soon as a break-in occurs, and even blast resistant sprays for their windows.”
WiFi Security
Not your first thought but something that should be high up on your list. Most homes of any value will now contain ‘smart devices’ which complete various tasks by being connected to WiFi in the home. Although these individual items won’t cause a threat to your security that can often provide ways for ‘hackers’ to enter onto your WiFi network and from there gain access to your other items of technology. This puts the security of anything you do online at risk, therefore making sure your home is safe from virtual attacks is as key to the physical security of your home.
