Did you know that home invaders usually act on “inside information” and will survey your home and your patterns for a number of days or even weeks before making their move? On rare occasions they act on opportunity, for instance, when a homeowner has incidentally left their electric gate open or when they are taking a call in their driveway and are distracted. Some will approach you and try to gain entry to your home under a false pretense.
You should never allow anyone, especially service men, salesmen or surveyors into your home unless you have arranged for them to be there and have someone at home to keep an eye on things. If you are having any work done at your house, do not let the workers wander around your home and, once they have left, you must check all the doors and windows to ascertain that nothing has been opened to allow them access later.
When you are home, keep all your doors and windows locked; you will be surprised at just how many people leave their doors unlocked when they are home, believing their fences and gates will keep them protected, only to regret it later.
On arrival home ensure you have an electric gate that is operated by remote since it eliminates the need for you to get out of your car to open and close your gate and thus, significantly reduces the entry and exit times. In addition, wrought iron gates or any solid metal gate is preferable as it reduces the risk of robbers breaking or derailing it to gain entrance to your home.
Installing safety beams on your gate will ensure that, should anyone enter the gate after you, it will automatically open and afford you the chance to reverse out of the property and get away. To avoid providing robbers with a large window of opportunity, always make sure you have your electric gate remote in your hand before arriving at your gate.
Your next line of defence is proper lighting of your driveway and garden. Motion sensing lights work best as they can alert you to movement, in addition to deterring criminals, who will certainly fear being spotted in such a well-lit area. You can also have motion sensing beams installed around your garden, in your garage, in front of your doors and windows as well as on your roof.