Police statistics show that in 2016 there were more than 77,000 cases of burglary in Poland [1]. Every year, the percentage of detected crimes increases, but most of them still get away "dry" to burglars. So how can you protect your property from being robbed? We have prepared a set of practical tips based on the guidelines of the German Association of Property Damage Insurers, one of the prestigious security testing institutes in Europe.
Truth and myths about burglary
Most burglary scenes in films take place at night. Unknowing members of the household are on holiday and a criminal dressed in black jumps over a fence and uses a sophisticated tool to pick the locks on the doors or smash the glass with a bang. Then all he has to do is collect the valuables from the lockers. This picture is far from reality. In practice the robbery takes place in a much easier way and in just a few minutes. The German police say that in more than half the cases the thieves use simple tools such as screwdrivers. Most robberies do not take place at night, but during the day and are carried out even in the presence of household members. However, proper protection is enough to thwart as much as 1/3 of all burglaries. So let's check how to protect your home in the most effective way and make the burglars' task more difficult.
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How do burglars behave?
Criminals like to target weekend properties, those that are visited occasionally. However, it is worth remembering that houses and flats can also be empty for long periods of time, especially during holidays or when people travel frequently. Criminals keep an eye on properties and will sooner try to rob one that they can get into without noise and in a short time. Any mechanical protection, which requires effort and takes precious minutes to break through, is one of the things that deters a thief. The same goes for well-lit areas, which increase the risk of being spotted and recognised.
Security on the outside of the house
Lighting around your home should therefore illuminate well the areas through which you can potentially gain access. Ideally, lamps should be motion-controlled and cast as vertical a beam of light as possible at the building. You also need to pay a lot of attention to proven and recognised mechanical security features, namely doors, windows and locks. Those that do not have the appropriate security certificates do not constitute a proper obstacle to forced entry. The same is true if they are incorrectly installed or used. Remember to close all windows, including those on upper floors and in cellars. Balcony and terrace doors are also easily accessible to perpetrators. Do not forget to secure garden sheds, garages or sheds. Sometimes a burglar may find a ladder and tools in them, which make it easier for him to get inside the house. It is also worth investing in electronic security, i.e. alarms, and a safe, which will protect against financial losses if burglars manage to get into the house – these aspects will be discussed in the second part of the article.
See the home safes at Hartmann Tresore
Source: recommendations and security guidelines of the German Association of Property Damage Insurers (VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH).
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[1] http://www.statystyka.policja.pl/st/przestepstwa-ogolem/przestepstwa-kryminalne/7-wybranych-kategorii-p/kradziez-z-wlamaniem/121941,Kradziez-z-wlamaniem.html
