Personal experience often tells us that a large number of burglaries are carried out by amateurs, who happen to stumble upon an easy opportunity. Most burglaries that occur involve very little planning and succeed mostly through a combination of luck and confidence on the part of the intruders. More often than not, these burglaries are carried out in residential areas and at homes where the owners are not in.
A burglary not only results in a potentially significant loss of valuables, it can also lead to someone being hurt, sometimes fatally – especially if a burglar happens to confront someone inside the house. This can also lead to emotional trauma, panic attacks and anxiety.
Research suggests that most burglars enter through the front or back door of a property. This means is that these spots are the most vulnerable when it comes to home security. Installing quality locks on your doors and windows makes it difficult for intruders to gain access to your home and can prevent them from leaving via other means, except the way they entered. This reduces the number of items that can be stolen, as it would be difficult to move bulky items through a window or via the roof, if indeed either were the point of entry. Even professional burglars would rather go elsewhere than tackle breaking into a home with quality locks and security systems.
“A quality lock system should not be an afterthought, but an important part of your priority as a homeowner”, suggests Greg, a qualified locksmith professional at KC Worthing Locksmiths.
The purpose of this article is to provide a checklist that you can follow to ensure your home has the right lock and is well protected, whether you are home or away.
- Install deadlocks or deadbolts on all exterior doors: deadbolts are the ideal security lock device for exterior doors, as they provide the right balance between security, ease of use and cost. A deadbolt is highly effective at providing security to your home, because once it is locked, it cannot be open by anyone without the relevant key.
There are two common deadbolt lock types: one is the single deadbolt, which has a lock and key on one side (typically the outside) and a small handle or lever on the other side. You don’t need a key to unlock the door from the inside, but anyone who wants to enter will have to unlock the door from the outside with this key. Meanwhile, the double deadbolt has a lock on both sides, which means a key is needed to unlock it whether you are inside or outside.
- Install key locks on windows that open: Mostly, when burglars find it hard to break in through the exterior doors, they move over to the window. Most windows are only locked with latches, which are very easy to force open. Having a key operated lock on your windows will deter burglars from trying to access your home this way.
- Ensure you change all the locks when you move into a new property. It’s safer to invest in a complete change than risk the possibility that there may be spare keys lying around somewhere that you don’t know about. Installing a lock properly is not a DIY exercise. You will need to use the services of a qualified locksmith to ensure it is undertaken correctly. You can never pay too much for security.
- Always ensure your doors and windows are properly locked, even if you are only going a short distance. Remember, we pointed out earlier that amateur burglars are always on the look-out for opportunities. There’s every possibility that someone may be watching your home to see when you will leave and if you usually lock up after you.
- Install exterior lights on your patio and around your home. It’s harder for a burglar to attempt to breach a property when they know they can be seen by people passing by or the neighbours. This is the advantage of having lights around your property. It takes away those dark corners in which intruders can hide and thus reduces the risk of your home being burgled.
- Install a home security system: A home security system cannot replace a good lock; it only provides an enhanced level of security. These devices serve as a huge deterrent to even the most determined intruder, as very few burglars will want to go through the process of trying to beat a home security system. They would rather move on and look for a property with less security.
