How to Keep Your Valuable Items Secure
The presence of valuables in the house is a sure magnet for burglars especially if they somehow know something about their presence. If you have valuables in your house be informed that burglars will try to zip into your home unseen and zap out again as fast as they can. This is the hallmark of burglars and they use it so successfully many get away with their loot long before you become aware that your valuables are missing!
The first blockade you can place in their path of entry and their planned exit is a warning system of your choice. This can be an alarm system that automatically raises the alarm when the circuit is interrupted, a CCTV surveillance camera system that can both raise the alarm and take images on film or an access control system that can alert you if there’s someone at the front door. All these security systems are highly effective in carrying out their intended purposes and you’d be helping yourself if you installed one or two of these systems in your house.
While installing your chosen system would be an added benefit for protecting your family and valuables, you should not ignore the importance and effectiveness of other measures that you can put in place to thwart burglars. They include the following:
- There’s nothing more dangerous and revealing than advertising the fact that you have valuables stored in your house. Don’t display you high-end items for all to see such as the new Apple laptop or wide screen plus the speakers and operating deck accessories. Making your valuables seen by passers-by is really inviting trouble and be assured that you automatically become part of “burglar territory” when you do so.
- Even the smallest valuable is worth hiding in a safe place! And don’t use the freezer because its value as a security place is overrated simply because it’s known to burglars. If you have valuable jewellery that are small and you lack a safe for keeping them, provide yourself with a makeshift box you made yourself and store it in a safe place where you know burglars won’t look.
- It’s always wise to leave some mark on the larger valuables that you keep in the house such as your video entertainment equipment, computers and even bicycles. When you do this by engraving for instance your driving license on the surface of these valuables, you are hardly preventing burglars from doing what they normally do. However it does help when the burglar who stole them is caught and you can easily identify what belongs to you from the engraved license number.
Is Your Home a Burglar Proof Haven?
The idea of forging together an environment that will safeguard the safety and freedom of self, family and valuables from fellow human beings may seem farfetched. But for your sake it’s an investment that must be done with due diligence and total commitment. The availability of security systems is not the problem as there are numerous systems that can be easily found in both conventional and online e-stores.
The range in pricing varies with the type of system and make with some systems attaching somewhat high-end prices. However, if safety and security against possible accidents and damage as well as loss of valuables are really your priority concerns, then prices shouldn’t be a hindrance. For instance in the long run, it may be more worthwhile to purchase an updated and highly efficient system that will safeguard the wealth you hold in your home.
The most obvious need for a reliable and efficient security system is when you are planning not to be in your home for an extended period of time such as going on a month long vacation. This is the time when your home and valuables are at maximum risk and equally a time you’d want to make your home less exposed to burglary activities. These scenarios are not a problem if you really care about your wealth and solutions galore are available for you to acquire and use.
Are you immediately thinking alarms, CCTV surveillance cameras, intercoms and access control solutions to your security issues? If you are then you are putting the right foot forward. Buy let’s say you’ve definitely set you mind on purchasing and installing a CCTV surveillance system. This is a fantastic choice and one that you won’t regret one bit but even if you’ve made the decision, there are other aspects which you can take care of to bolster your security system further.
These additional precautionary measures will augment the security given by your CCTV surveillance system and include the following:
- Ask a neighbour to bring in all your deliveries such as papers, mail and others
- Have someone trim the lawn so it doesn’t act as a give-away sign that you are not at home.
- You should leave your car parked in the driveway to make intruders believe you are about.
- Leave the lights and radio on automated timers to discourage intruders.
- Don’t leave any evidence on your answering machine or voice mail and make sure someone deletes the messages to prevent overloading.
Home Invasions in Sydney
What are home invasions?
Home invasions in Sydney are a worrying trend. Just the other day an old man in Green Valley was robbed during a home invasion at knifepoint. Home invasion criminals work more often at night and on weekends when homes are more likely to be occupied. The home invader will sometimes target the resident as well as the dwelling. The selection process may include a woman living alone or an older person.
Some home invaders might have been in your home before as a delivery person, installer or repair vendor. Home robbers rarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontation to gain initial control and instill fear in you.
What can you do to help prevent home invasions?
Remember these important security steps:
- Install solid doors, heavy duty locks, and window security devices
- Lock all doors, windows, and garages at all times
- Use a video intercom system to see who is there before opening the door
- Use your porch light to help you to see clearly outside
- Use your CCTV system to see who is outside before going to the door
- Set the home perimeter alarm at night, if you have one
- Never open the door to strangers or solicitors, no matter how friendly they look
- Call the police if the stranger acts suspicious
- Set your alarm to go off if they are trying to break in
- Do a quick look around before using your automatic garage and driving in
- Hold a family meeting to discuss home security plans to ensure everyone knows what to do
The All Important Security Audit
One of the many worries, and perhaps the worst, that business people experience is the constant loss of annual profits to theft each year. Entrepreneurs need to undertake security checks of the entire premises. In doing so, they will minimize the incidence of theft and all the anxieties and frustrations that go with it. At Serious Security, one of our top priorities is in enhancing the security of businesses and we are always ready to offer assistance in facilitating security audits.
- Obtain a security checklist – knowing the personal histories of individuals especially those with a history of burglary crimes is a must. The State police department can provide them.
- Undertake an assessment – a risk assessment is an essential exercise that needs to be undertaken for highlighting potential security risks. Professionals from Serious Security will provide assistance during a security assessment of the premises from the front to the back areas for highlighting potential security hazards.
- All entries to the premises should be checked that should include the parking areas through to the as well as all doors and exit areas to ascertain the premise’s security against burglar activities.
- The inspection should take account of the outer walls and even drain pipes that may become a risk to the security of the premises.
- Provide suitable solutions – appropriate preventive measures should by taken wherever needed to enhance security that may include but not restricted to:
- The fitting of strong, tough locks and security screening or iron grills to all doors and windows to prevent easy entry into the premises.
- The adding of convex mirrors inside retail shops to enable staff members to readily and easily have a clear view of all the shop corners and be aware of customer behaviour during their shopping.
- Make sure to have proper lighting for the main entry and exit points for deterring the entering attempts by burglars and for providing an easy and clutter free route of evacuation by staff when they feel threatened by burglar activity.
- Plan on installing a CCTV surveillance cameras or a monitored security alarm system to provide added security and protection to your home or business premises.
- Training of staff members – staff members should be trained so they get accustomed in performing their roles during an emergency incident.
- Maintain contact with specialist – maintaining contact with a specialist will ensure the right counter measures are put in motion to thwart the clandestine activities of burglars and thieves.
Contact us
Whenever you need assistance in conducting a security audit, ring us on (02) 8734 3250
