Experiencing a robbery at your home is a nightmare that we all want to avoid. According to The Crime Statistics Agency Victoria, Victoria Police recorded 30,941 residential burglary offences across the state in the 12 months up to March 2015. Preparation can go a long way towards stopping any opportunistic thieves and making any robbery efforts incredible difficult and unfruitful.
When reviewing your home security, consider not just ways to keep thieves out but also how to make things very difficult for them if they do get inside. To help you with your security improvements, we’ve compiled a list of 5 of the most common areas where burglars will look first once they’re in your home.
Entranceways
Entranceways along with areas and containers near doors are often first for a burglar to search. That could be inside your house or just outside. Some home owners and renters choose to leave their house key under pot plants or the door mat for convenance. Leaving your key in obvious places would make it far easier for a burglar to obtain access to your home.
Once inside, your car keys hanging up or in a drawer near the front door could be easy pickings for a burglar, ultimately leaving you without a car.
Living Room
Burglars most likely will perform a quick sweep of your lounge room to grab as many valuable items as possible. Burglar s are less likely to go for the big items like TVs and instead go for smaller electronics and valuables like laptops, phones, tablets, watches and jewellery.
The Master Bedroom and under the Mattress
The master bedroom and almost any bedroom can be a target for burglars. Bedrooms are where people often keep their jewellery, watches, medication and various valuables.
The mattress is also a common area that burglars search in people’s homes. People often hide things under their mattress, from valuable jewellery to significant amounts of cash. Unfortunately, we’ve heard quite a few experiences about people falling victim to thieves grabbing what’s under their mattress.
The Bathroom Cabinets
Bathroom cabinets and in particular, the medicine cabinet are a go-to for thieves. Pharmaceuticals stolen can be sold on the black market.
The Office or Study
Do you have a home office or study? Thieves often search these rooms, aiming to pick up cash and easily portable electronics like laptops, phones, tablets and headphones. Personal documents may also be targeted by some thieves.
In Conclusion: Outsmart the Burglars
Find the balance between good home security and enjoying your home. Implement a range of powerful deterrents and security measures throughout your property to keep thieves at bay. These can include access control systems, CCTV, alarms, high quality locks and even a faithful dog. If thieves do get inside, make things difficult for them. Don’t necessarily leave your valuables in obvious places and install good locks on drawers where appropriate.