How to Secure Your Homes

January 22, 2020

Home is the place where you are supposed to be safe and protected from the outside world. But still homes in urban areas are witnessing an alarming increase in break-ins, thefts and murders. Working women staying alone in urban areas, children of working parents and senior citizens, especially those living on their own, are becoming targets of crime and violence.

What can be done to address the problem?

There are some do’s and don’ts which can help improve the factor of security for your homes.

• Make sure the locks are changed before you move in.

• Lock your apartment door even if you are leaving for only a few minutes.

• Don’t provide spare keys to service people; be home to meet them.

• Never hide a spare key under your doormat or on top of your doorframe or in your mailbox.

• Don’t label your keys with your name and address. If you lose them, your home and complex will be vulnerable to burglary.

• Use the intercom or the peephole to identify visitors before opening your door.

• Don’t leave valuables in plain view of the windows of your apartment. Hide valuables in non-obvious places where burglars may not think to look.

• Inventory the description, serial number and cost of your valuables.

• Keep a copy of your records online, in a fire-proof locked box or in a safe deposit box in a bank. Take pictures of your most valuable items. This will help you recover the items if they are stolen.

• Stay alert when entering your apartment. Don’t talk on your cell

• Never leave notes on your apartment door or on the intercom panel indicating your whereabouts or return time – this tells a potential thief how much time they have.

• Draw curtains or close blinds after dark. When the curtains are open at night, you can’t see out, but others can see in.

• If your apartment door doesn’t have a deadbolt lock, it’s a good idea to get them installed.

• Make a habit of locking the door when you come into your apartment. A thief can steal your valuables in the time it takes to have a shower.

• Make sure all doors with locks have shut behind you after you come in or leave.

• Never prop open the entrance doors and leave them unattended.

• A grill door at the main entrance door is a must. This will ensure the identification of the visitor before permitting him inside the house.

• If a visitor has any package for delivery etc., the same should be confirmed by an elder member of the house before permitting entry inside. Children, aged persons, servants etc. should be briefed on this.

• Verification of the servant employed in the house to be done and his photograph, village address etc. to be kept on record   (The society can take-up this task and local police station will help in village address verification ).

• All repair work, installation of new fittings etc. should be done through a known agency who have regular workers on their establishment.

• The housing society should have a day and night watchman and a visitors book should be maintained for all outsiders.

• It would be ideal if the society can install an intercom system and the watchman can speak to the flat owners and inform about the visitors)

• Unnecessary sets of duplicate house keys should not be made and given to unauthorised persons.

• At night, adequate lighting should be around the house and at the door so that visitors at night also can be identified.

• The younger members of the family should be advised not to invite unknown persons for parties with their college / school friends.

• Discussions regarding important family business, tour programs, visits by outstation relatives etc. should be avoided in the presence of servants and other unknown visitors.

This information has been provided by Eureka Forbes.

Tags: Secure Homes

All our articles are periodically updated.