Your neighbours are often the first to notice something amiss on your property and can therefore add to the security of your home. This is one of the reasons why  Mike Kidson, managing director of ADT Northern Region, recommends that residents get to know their neighbourhoods and neighbours this year.
“There are many examples of successful crime prevention in suburbs where residents are actively involved in their communities. Being familiar with the surroundings and knowing people’s daily routines make it easier to notice suspicious people, vehicles and activities. We also appreciate that tighter communities are in fact safer ones,” he says.
Knowing who lives in your area and engaging with your community often leads to combined security implementation, and these have a far greater impact on an area than individual efforts, Kidson explains. “When neighbours start sharing security tips and reporting suspicious individuals or vehicles spotted in their area, security providers and the SAPS are able to get a better understanding of the activity in the area and implement effective crime prevention tactics.”
Whether you’ve recently moved into a new area or have been living there for some time, why not take some time to meet with your neighbours and discuss ways to keep your families and homes safe, Kidson suggests.
Here are some points to touch on during your discussion:
• Start by exchanging cellphone numbers so that you are able to contact one another when necessary.
• Agree to keep an eye on one another’s properties and to contact the other about suspicious people or when something appears to be out of place.
• If either or both of you travel often or take regular holidays, talk about doing small chores for one another while you are away. This includes removing mail from the postbox on a daily basis and switching on inside and outdoor lights so that your home does not appear unoccupied.
Kidson says it is also very important to introduce your children to your neighbours. You can for instance agree to keep an eye on one another’s children when they are playing in the garden. And teach your children to go to one of your neighbours if they are home alone and feel unsafe.
Another good idea is to write the contact details of at least one or two of your neighbours on your list of emergency-services and keep this close to your telephone. In the event that something happens to you or a loved one in your home, a neighbour will be able to assist you until emergency services arrive.
You never know when you will need help or if anyone will be around when you do. Why not take the time to get to know at least two of your neighbours and your neighbourhood better this year? “By working together as one another’s eyes and ears, you, your neighbours, the SAPS and security providers can make your suburb a no-go zone for criminals,” Kidson concludes.