It’s an unfortunate truth that no home is ever 100% intruder-proof. Even the White House has had perimeter breaches, despite the ultimate in-home security.
Somebody looking to grab a few odds and ends both likely to be unarmed and looking for a quick, easy route in and out. What you want to do is make your property completely unappealing to the average burglar, and that means going a bit further than getting an alarm system installed.
1. Is a Fence better than a Wall?
Most people think that a large, sturdy ten-foot brick wall is a great security feature. The problem with ten-foot brick walls is twelve foot ladders. If you’re dealing with someone who’s relatively young and fit, wikihow and YouTube have tutorials on how to get over them in about five seconds, no ladder required.
Once they’re over the wall, they’re completely hidden from passers-by and your neighbours, leaving them free to saunter over your fabulously landscaped lawn and up to the most convenient door or window.
Instead of a solid wall, consider fencing, which will give you privacy and still leave a would-be burglar feeling exposed.
If you have large trees on the property, make sure they aren’t too close to your wall or fence, and pay particular attention to low hanging branches. There’s no point in supplying your own natural ladder to intruders.
2. Dog Day Afternoons
A dog is one of the best forms of defence you could have inside your house. Not a large, fierce-looking dog that patrols the grounds – we’re talking ankle-snapper territory here.
Why would a dog that would lose a fight to a tall stalk of celery be a great defender? Because these tiny tyrants are fiercely territorial – and they bark. They bark at anyone and everyone coming near their house and their humans, drawing attention that your average B&E man definitely doesn’t want.
Large dogs scare people because they can do more damage – but if a chihuahua was a foot taller, they’d probably be on the dangerous dogs list. And while a lot of larger dogs can be bribed with a bit of steak, the average small dog will shout at visitors to go away first before they settle down for a munch.
Whether you go for a large or small dog, most burglars will avoid your place in favour of someone who doesn’t have a 'Beware of the Dog' sign on the garden gate.
3. Smile for the Camera
Having a decent CCTV system installed both reduces the odds of you getting broken into and helps identify the miscreants if they do get into your home.
Combining CCTV with dogs is an excellent way to get yourself on the “Do Not Burgle” list. Between smart CCTV systems and the range of smart doorbells on the market, you can keep an eye on your property no matter where you are, with footage and alerts being sent straight to your smart phone or tablet.
4. Social Media Isn’t Worth The Likes
As tempting as it is to post about your upcoming trip to Ibiza on the book of faces, don’t do it until after you’re back with a holiday tan and a few war stories.
It’s not just your favourite aunt who likes to hang out on social media sites; tech-savvy criminals will have a good hard look at your posts as well. Keep your profile private and your posts general until the holiday is finished.
The same applies to upcoming gigs and outings: don’t announce them in advance on social media. Not everybody who likes what you post is going to be a friend and telling random strangers that your high value property is going to be empty for a certain amount of time is like waving a big red flag with “Rob Me” printed on it.
5. Private Security: Not Just for Celebrities
The ultimate deterrent is a physical security presence.
A lot of private security personnel are ex-military and ex-police force. This does not mean that they’re going to do a Rambo impression on every intruder, but that they’re highly trained, competent people who respond well to situations requiring urgent action.
A full team can do everything from monitoring your CCTV and patrolling with dogs to checking deliveries and mail. You can decide to have a single person instead of a team, but that’s something that should be discussed with the firm you hire.
Private security firms are licensed from the Security Industry Authority (SIA). While some specialise in high-risk clients, others offer exceptional service specialising in residential security.
All employees will be trained, vetted and licensed, so this is an area where you can relax and let the experts do their work once you’ve chosen your security firm.
And finally - don't forget your home insurance
Don’t forget to check your high value property insurance for any specific security requirements - these might depend upon any high value items you own, including works of art, antiques and jewellery.
Need a good high value home insurance broker? We’ve got you covered – click here to fill out a short form and we’ll pass your details onto our list of brokers.