No one wants to think about an intruder breaking into their home, stealing their belongings and putting their family at risk. But home burglaries are more common than you might think. More than 400,000 Aussies experienced a break-in or an attempted break-in between 2019 – 2020. Burglaries are often crimes of opportunity, so making it harder for criminals to get into your home means they’re likely to pass you by in favour of an easier target.
We’ve gathered a list of the top 5 security mistakes made by homeowners. This list will make it easier for you to correct mistakes you could be making and make your home less desirable for thieves.
1 – You Leave Doors and Windows Unlocked
Leaving doors and windows unsecured is the most common mistake made by homeowners (hence its’ position in the number one spot on our list).
Keep in mind that burglars are looking for easy targets…and there’s nothing easier than strolling through an unlocked door or climbing through an unsecured window.
If you tend to open windows to enjoy the fresh air, get in the habit of closing them before you leave your home, and make sure all windows (including those on upper stories) and doors are locked before you go.
2 – You Have Property That’s Too Private
Some of us long for a little privacy for our abode, so we plant tall shrubs to create living walls around the perimeter of our property, install tall security gates, and plant hedges in front of the windows close to our home.
While it may sound like heaven, the truth is you’ve created a yard with plenty of hiding spots for thieves, allowing them to enter your home unseen.
If possible, arrange your plants and/or fencing so that your doors can be seen from the street. This may be enough to convince a prospective burglar to skip your home for a more secluded target.
3 – You Hide Keys Outdoors
Burglars are trained professionals. They know all the go-to hiding places for keys—on the upper trim the surrounds doors, under mats, and in and around flowerpots. And they can spot a fake rock or yard statue with a key slot from a mile away.
Leave a spare key with your neighbour or a nearby family member or consider having a keyless entry system installed.
4 – You Decide You Don’t Need a Security System
Unfortunately, doing everything mentioned above can’t guarantee your home will stay safe. A whopping 95% of all home invasions require forceful entry by picking a lock breaking a window or kicking down a door.
In the event of a forced break-in, your best line of defense is to have a security system installed and set every time you leave your home. Yet many homeowners talk themselves out of it, thinking it is too costly and choose instead to roll the dice on the odds burglars won’t pick their home.
Think of a security system like health insurance—you pay for it hoping you’ll never need it but, when the time comes that it’s necessary, you’re awfully glad you have it.
Our experienced team at One & Only will be happy to provide you with a free quote for a residential security system.
5 – You Underestimate the Risk of Daytime Burglaries
If you assume a burglary is more likely to happen in the middle of the night, you aren’t alone…but you are wrong. As we’ve said before, burglars are creatures of easy opportunity—why try sneak through a house full of people at night when you can hit an empty home during the day while the residents are at work and school?
Follow our five simple steps whenever you leave your home—day or night—to ensure your belongings and your home’s security are safe and sound.