SAFE AND SOUND

It’s a difficult reality to face but, sooner or later, your home most likely will be targeted for a break-in.

But while ever-increasing burglary statistics can paint a disheartening picture, it doesn’t mean you should just sit back and let it happen.

Here are a few simple suggestions to help protect your home, your possessions and, most of all, your family. Lock up: It sounds so simple, turn that latch.

So many unlawful house entries are often “crimes of opportunity” where a window or door was left open – inviting resourceful criminals to walk inside and help themselves. And if you have done the right thing and have your house

locked and secured, don’t hide the key under the mat or the pot plant next to the door… it’s the first place a would-be criminal would look.

Get to know your neighbours: When it comes to security, the more eyes watching over your property the better. While having a good relationship with your neighbours is the wish of any home owner, exchanging phone numbers (in case of emergency), collecting each other’s mail when on holidays and keeping a check on suspicious people or vehicles in the area will give everyone peace of mind (and strengthen neighbourly ties).

Be alarmed: A number of electronic companies can supply and install the very latest in home security (including back-to-base 24-hour monitoring), but there are a host of inexpensive hi-tech systems available on the market today available from major retailers and hardware stores. They can incorporate everything from easy-to-install door and window break-in sensors, to infra-red motion detection with recording features or alerts to your mobile phone.

Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.