Home invasions are an incredible breach of privacy, safety and security, and are one of the last things that you want to experience. Sadly, cases of reported break-ins have been on the rise across Australia, with owner-occupiers and tenants in urban areas being most affected.
As a result of this spike in crime, more Australian households are looking into ways that they can protect their property from trespassers, and reduce their risks of falling victim to a home invasion of any scope.
While it hopefully won’t happen to you, it does pay to make sure you and your family are prepared in the event of a home invasion. Here are just a few measures you can implement to better safeguard your home and family.
Invest in Home and Contents Insurance
Foundational to everything is simply making sure that your property is insured in the event of a break-in. This is why making sure your home and contents insurance is kept up-to-date year on year is so important. With a suitable insurance policy and the right level of cover, you can enjoy improved peace of mind that any financial losses resulting from a break-in or burglary can be recouped.
Keep in mind too that your insurance policy won’t just provide cover for loss incurred due to a home invasion or burglary – it will also provide cover for damage resulting from other insured events like environmental risks (i.e. fallen trees, roof and ceiling leaks, etc.). Conducting a detailed risk analysis with your insurance provider can help ensure your home insurance policy is tailored to meet the unique needs of your household, factoring in your risks of break-ins and burglaries as well as environmental risks like fires, floods, and storm damage.
Install Security Cameras
Did you know that you might be able to lower your insurance premiums by fitting your property with security measures? The reasoning here is that your property is less likely to be targeted by trespassers if there are clear deterrents like motion-activated floodlights and security cameras.
These security measures can also be relatively low-cost – it’s all about finding the right CCTV solutions to suit your property. Smart security cameras can communicate with your phone or computer, sending you notifications in the event that a person is detected around your property while you’re out and about.
Other features to look out for? Thanks to the recent technological developments in artificial intelligence, some CCTV cameras now even have AI facial recognition technology that can be trained to recognise yourself and your family and friends and other frequent visitors such as delivery drivers. Some innovative modern smart home security systems also boast thermal or heat-sensing technologies so that they can detect heat signatures in dim or low lighting, as home invasions often occur at night.
Be mindful of the placement and positioning of your security cameras as well. Your cameras should ideally monitor entry to your home, including your front and back yard as well as your garden spaces and other points of entry (i.e. windows). With strategic set-up and installation, your cameras won’t be just an excellent crime deterrent, but will also be able to be used for evidence in the event that your home is targeted by a burglar.
Install or Upgrade Your Deadlocks
The first line of defence for many Australian homes (even in safe suburbs) is the locks on our front and back doors. And it’s largely decided that deadlocks are the single best physical security measure for front and back doors.
Deadlocks are specialised, sturdy locks that feature keyholes on both sides. Their robust locking mechanism makes them quite tricky to unlock without the proper key. The absence of a weak mechanism that lock-picking kits can easily bypass makes deadlocks a great, lower-cost measure for deterring home invaders from entering your property.
If you don’t currently have deadlocks, a locksmith can install them for you. Working with a local locksmith with great reviews is essential for ensuring that your property’s deadlocks – on your front and back doors and all other points of access to your home – stay in good working order.
There are other home safety benefits to investing in deadlocks, including the fact that they always require a key to lock fully, making it much less likely that a family member will find themselves locked out of the house without a key. Furthermore, if someone does enter your home via a broken window from the front or back, they won’t be able to leave via the front or back door due to the deadlock preventing opening from inside. This makes it harder to get away with your heavier valuables. All of these factors above make deadlocks an essential home security investment for those concerned about home invasions.
Don’t Broadcast When You’re Not Home
Finally, it’s well worth keeping in mind that burglars are still most likely to target properties when people are either asleep or perhaps aren’t home. So if you’re planning to go on a family trip anytime soon, you should try to avoid sharing details of your travel plans on social media, as this may prompt burglars to make their own plans on your property!
Families are also advised to be mindful of periods of time in their daily or weekly routines where their property is most likely going to be empty. Treat these instances as high-risk (i.e. periods of time where your property is more likely to be targeted by trespassers).
Households with pets may also deter burglars for similar reasons. Even if no family members are home, burglars are generally less likely to take their chances breaking into a property with a dog or other pets as there’s no guarantee that the pet will be friendly.
Defend Your Home From Invasion with These Security Measures
Equipping your property or investment property with these home security features will not only help ensure that your family, home, and contents (or tenants) stay secure, but also that you can come and go from all your other weekly responsibilities without feeling overly concerned about a home invasion occurring while your home is vacant.
Make sure to conduct your own independent research when looking for the home security solutions best suited for your property and household, and remain vigilant against home invasions.
