In a recent Crime Stoppers report it was indicated that in the lead up to Christmas last year (2016) only one in five Australians were overly concerned about the security of their home when going away over the festive period. This is despite the fact that nearly four in every ten Australians had experienced a break in.
These findings are part of a community-based program known as the Lock Report. It surveyed more than 1000 Australian home owners on their practices and attitudes towards home security and the report revealed some worrying statistics.
- 25% of those surveyed either didn’t or couldn’t remember handing over all of their keys when they moved out of their previous home
- 20% didn’t know how old the lock on their front door was
- 30% were under the impression that their locks were over ten years old
- While 87% had a deadlock fitted on the front door, only 59% had one fitted on the back door
- just 7% of people had any type of alarm or CCTV monitoring system fitted
The report goes on to say that by making a few simple and inexpensive changes, homeowners can avoid being part of yet another crime statistic. Firstly when it comes to home security quality well-functioning locks are crucial. Most burglars are opportunists and they’ll want to get in and out of your home as quickly as possible. They aren’t likely to mess about with built-in or separate dead-bolts simply because they’re far harder to manipulate with makeshift lock-breaking implements. Conversely if a lock looks old and tarnished, then there’s a strong chance that it’s an easy-picking for any half-decent burglar and therefore your home may become a prime target.
In addition, with the warmer weather descending upon us, people have a tendency to leave windows open in an effort to stay cool at night While this is tempting, remember that almost 30% of all burglars enter a property through open windows and what’s more, the highest percentage of burglaries occur during the summer months. As an alternative, if you want to leave windows open to circulate air around, you might want to consider installing a quality security screen.
When was the last time you changed your locks?
When it comes to home security during the festive season good quality locks are essential, especially if you’re planning on getting away for a few days. Ideally, locks should be changed every ten years, but if you notice corrosion, stuck latches, or any clicking or interruption during the locking operation itself, then it’s time for a change.
With over 200,000 Australian homes being broken into every single year, making these few simple changes will help better secure your home giving you peace of mind this holiday season.
At MA Security in addition to supplying security personnel for a wide variety of events, businesses and individuals we also identify security risks in premises. If you’d like us to carry out a security report on your property then contact our experienced team on 1300 020 406 today.
