4 Overlooked ways thieves can rob your home
Published on Mon Sep 18 2017 in Lifestyle
Coming home to signs of a break in is something no one wants to experience. But unfortunately, burglaries in New Zealand are all too common. From July 2014 to December 2016 nearly 161,000 Kiwis fell victim to burglars.1
A burglary can happen at any time, but your home is particularly vulnerable when you’re on holiday. Long periods of time when no one is home are attractive to would-be thieves. They’re less likely to be caught in the act, and they’re usually long gone by the time the crime is reported.
We’ve already covered ways to keep your home safe whilst you’re on holiday, but would-be thieves are a crafty lot! Whether it’s before a long holiday or just the work day, consider these often overlooked ways that burglars can enter your home:
The front door
Locking the front door is an obvious home safety step. But what many people don’t consider is how easy it can be for burglars to get in this way. A deadbolt goes a long way toward stopping an intruder, but they’re useless if someone has a key. Practiced criminals will look for keys in common hiding places, searching flowerpots, under mats or rocks, and in lighting fixtures.
Hiding a key outside your home is never a good plan. Instead, leave a spare key with a trusted neighbour or family member who lives nearby. If you’ve hidden a key in the past that’s now gone missing, replace the locks and keep a closer eye on the copies going forward.
Upstairs windows
Before a long trip you likely secure all the ground floor windows, but what about those upstairs? Unlocked or open first floor windows can be an entry point for burglars. It may take a bit more effort, but an enterprising thief will climb trees or use patio furniture to reach unsecured windows.
Always close and lock upstairs windows when securing your home. For added safety, move patio furniture into the garage before your trip. Never leave ladders outside after use—they make things much easier for robbers!
Pet doors
Believe it or not, burglars can gain entry to your home through a pet door. Slight robbers can crawl through ones designed for medium and large-sized dogs. Even a cat flap can be used to gain entry if it’s installed in a door—thieves can use them to reach the interior door locks.
If possible, choose a pet door only as wide as your pet’s shoulder width and install it in a wall. Placing motion sensing lights outside the doggie door will also make it a less attractive entry point for intruders. You can also go high tech: Pet flaps with electronic locks triggered by a chip in your pet’s collar or with weight alarms can help keep you and your pets safe.
Garage door
You’ve locked the front door and windows, but have you properly secured your garage? Vehicles parked in the driveway or on the street can be targeted by car thieves. If you keep a spare garage door opener in them, you’ve just given them easy access to your home!
Remove extra remotes from any cars that will be parked outside. Better yet, disable the automatic garage door opener before leaving for you holiday. Also check that any side doors off the garage are properly locked—it can be easy to overlook them in a hurry.
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1. NZ Herald, Counting Crime: Burglaries in New Zealand – where, when and how
About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.
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