According to insurance company Dialdirect, if it takes longer than five minutes for a burglar to break into a home then they will likely give up and move on.
Warwick Scott-Rodger, head of Dialdirect, described most burglars as opportunists. “Criminals can tell when you’re not home and the house is unguarded or there is clear evidence of valuables inside,” he said.
“If you are planning on going away, it is important to take precautionary measures. Even with all the insurance in the world, it’s a painful experience to come back and find that your home has been emptied of all your valuables.”
He believes that residents owe it to themselves to ensure that the chance of a break-in while they are away is minimal.
Here are his top tips to ensure that your home stays safe, even when you aren’t there:
- Cut back trees and bushes that obscure entryways into your home, as these could be used as hiding places
- Burglar alarms are effective deterrents, especially when connected to an armed response company
- Walk around the outside of your home and try to see if any valuables or obvious entryways are clearly visible
- Ask a neighbour or house-sitter to turn your lights on each night and collect your mail every so often so that it doesn’t pile up
- Lock away tools such as spades or rakes which could be used to break a window or gain entry into your home
- Don’t keep keys inside your doors, and make sure that doors are securely locked before leaving your home.
