Are you safe in your own home? 5 things you need to know!

With so much criminal activity such as home break-ins taking place, do you really need a security plan to stay safe at home? Do you need to teach your family how to react to an emergency?

1.  Inspect your doors and windows

Locking your doors and windows is a given, but that in itself won’t necessarily scare off perpetrators, Depending on the type of door and lock, an intruder may still be able to get in. A steel door, for instance, is harder to open than a wooden door, and a deadbolt lock with a long bolt is better than one with a short one, and both are better than a spring-bolt lock. Also examine your door frames for wear and tear

2. Watch what you say online

Can’t wait to tell your friends about your planned trip to Cape Town? Don’t do it on social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter, as this will attract unwanted attention to your home while you’re away. The best you could do is wait until you get back from your trip and that is when you can post about how great the trip was.

Read more: Six-year-old watches as parents held at gunpoint

3. Store valuables in less-obvious places

When most intruders break into your home, all they want to do is come in and out as soon as possible. Master bedroom and bathrooms are the first places intruders will check for valuables. So, make it difficult for them to be found by storing them in less conspicuous places – not under the bed or in the freezer, for example.

4. Think like a thief

Step onto your porch and look through the window. Do you see your iPad on the couch or the R100 you threw down on your kitchen island? Then so can other people. Either keep your curtains closed or move valuables away from public view.

5. Have a contact list of emergency personnel

Keeping a contact list of emergency personnel will really come in handy. The phone numbers you would want to have would be the police 10111, ambulance services 10177 and Public Safety 0366311777