Colette’s Guide To Preventing A Break In
It’s getting near that time of year again. We’re considering lighting the fire, pulling the scarves out and best of all, it’s perfectly acceptable to be in fluffy pyjamas more often than not! Unfortunately house burglaries also become more common at this time of year. It is difficult to prevent a home burglary but here are a few things to consider.
Prevent A Home Burglary
- If you have a dog, leave them outside to bark. While it may annoy you sometimes, it will be a deterrent for thieves.
- If you are going away, try and get someone to house-sit. What’s a few crumbs from someone eating on your sofa compared to a break in!
- Get a neighbour to keep an eye on the house, turn some lights on and open & close the curtains.
- Outdoor sensor lights can be great as a thief will easily be seen.
- Don’t have too much of a routine, when it comes to things like going to the shop or going to visit family, don’t have set times. The more unpredictable your movements are the harder it will be to break in.
- Don’t tag yourself in at the airport on Facebook. Basically you are advertising to people that you will be away for a few days. ‘Come on over and help yourself to my jewellery and some cash’.
What To Do If Your Home Is Burgled
- If you are burgled try to stay calm, call the Gardaí immediately and don’t touch anything until the Gardaí tell you it is ok to do so.
- Take detailed photographs of the damages and notify your insurer as soon as possible afterwards.
If you see anything suspicious in your area make a note of it and notify the Gardaí if it causes concern.