THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HOME-PERSONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY: EXPERT TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

“Time without number, Mr. Collins has lodged complaints at police station about the incessant burglar incidents in his home. His living-room was ransacked and valuables were carted away. Last night again, his bed was stolen and he had nowhere to rest his body. He stood still like an electric pole sleeping in distress till the following day. However, police’s findings revealed that his lackadaisical attitude towards application of basic home security tips is the major reason for his burglar headaches”.

“Whereas in the same neighborhood, there’s Mr. Phil whose home has never been burgled simply because he is not careless. He doesn’t overlook or skip any news or write-ups about SECURITY. He doesn’t only read them, he also applies them. Thus, his home has no room to accommodate INSECURITY. He sleeps well like little babies that have no worry. Mr. Phil feels good always. He has no time to worry about any loss”.

Hey! I mean you! If you don’t want to be like the Mr. Collins here, peruse the subsequent lines of this write-up for home security tips you urgently need, to protect you and your properties. Don’t just read. Please apply.

INTRODUCTION

The natural tendency for many people is to safeguard their belongings. The home and everything within is one of these precious possessions. It’s a location where you want to feel protected from any potential outside threats. But contrarily, there has been many incidents of home burglary which have dispossessed many victims of their assets and placed them in a state of discomfort.

Forbes defined burglary as the act of breaking into a home or structure without permission with the intent to commit at least one additional crime, such as theft, damage or other harm while inside. Burglary and home burglary are defined by whether items are stolen from outside or inside the home. It’s probably the creepiest kind of crime where someone breaks into your house without permission. This is not specific to any one location. It is a global occurrence that takes place everywhere. The rate’s relation to time and space is the only difference.

For example, Nigeria burglary rate was at level of 1.4 cases per 100,000 population in 2013, up from 1.2 cases per 100,000 population previous year, this is a change of 24.89%. In the US, the FBI reported 1,401,840 burglaries with 57.5% of all burglaries involving forcible entry (Criminal Justice Information Services Division, 2017). There are 2.5 million burglaries annually in the United States. (FBI). Every 15 seconds a home burglary occurs in the United States. (Crimepreventiontips.com).

This information is presented here not to frighten readers, but to raise everyone’s awareness of security issues and arm them with skills to prevent home invasions in the future.  Understanding how to deter potential home invaders and how to actively safeguard your possessions can be beneficial. A safe house deters criminal activity. That is the haven where people are security awake and aware. This however calls for a paradigm shift. It is no longer true to say that law enforcement agencies alone should handle security and crime prevention. The occurrence and fear of crime can be decreased by individuals, neighborhoods, local government, and planners.

This easy-to-follow, comprehensive guide will help you to fortify your house with unbreakable home security measures.

SECURITY TIPS AND STRATEGIES

I guess you’re not just here to search for points that are heavily laced with grammars but you’re here to know the way-out strategies to climb out of neighborhood insecurity just like Mr. Phil. Thus, you’re able to peruse this write-up to this salient stage. Alright! I salute your keenness. Take a full sit now and get yourself a bowl of popcorns. Watch more keenly, as I take you through this journey of safety.

The following are some tips and strategies you should implement to make safety a priority in your home.

• LOCKING WINDOWS AND DOORS: Despite how easy this may seem, doing so greatly reduces the likelihood of home invasions. Although it may seem apparent, many doors and windows that are left open allow intruders to enter homes. This common sense precaution can keep your home off the burglar’s list of targets. Many burglars will break into homes in search of simple opportunities. In addition to, If you move into a new house, change your locks so that the previous owners don’t have access.
• STANDARD FENCING: As part of access control, standard fences engulfing buildings play major role to discourage unauthorized visit/intrusion. Fence loses its value if it’s mainly meant to beautify an edifice in the face of threat that will have the edifice being damaged or stolen. A fence without a standard height becomes an object of invitation to intruders. 
• ILLUMINATION AT NIGHT: Nothing bright comes out of the dark. A poorly illuminated area is a hideout for dark activities. Make sure there’s always light at night to put your home in the face of visibility and as well expose any night invader that would have crept in if your surroundings were to be in the dark.   

• MAINTAIN BUSHES TRIMMED: A burglar may use overgrown bushes as cover. Keep the house visible and the hedges trimmed. An extra benefit is that this will improve your curb appeal! There will be no more hideout for any criminal element.
• AVOID ANNOUNCING YOUR ABSENCE: Don’t post a public announcement of your absence on social media. You can make yourself more vulnerable to a home invasion by sharing information about your impending extended vacation or absence from home, posting pictures of your house with the address plaque visible, and providing your address in online event invites and public comments. Don’t forget that the local criminals are also hidden behind those keyboards.
• GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS: Having additional watchful eyes on a property, particularly when the owners are away on vacation or at work, is one of the best ways to secure a home. You can also join community security watch.
• SAFELY STORE VALUABLES:
• Do not keep valuable items near windows with open curtains.
• Occasionally, burglars will still manage to break into our homes despite our best efforts. Although we cannot guarantee the safety of everything we own, it is a good idea to store your most valuable items, such as jewelry, cash, documents of importance, and family heirlooms, in a locked, immovable safe. The things that are most important to you will always be safe in this way.

3. Use blinds to block your windows from outside view.
4. BACKGROUND CHECKS: Make sure you get to know a candidate thoroughly before hiring them for a job as a cook, housekeeper, etc. Make sure their backgrounds are verifiable. The majority of home invaders operate through a network of ominous but well-behaved insiders. Therefore, avoid hiring criminals by first making sure that all of their information is accurate. 
5. INSTALLATION OF HOME SECURITY SYSTEMS: A home security system is necessary to keep your place safe from intruders, whether you live in an apartment or a house. Add doorbell and security cameras to your home security system installation. It should ideally be a smart home security system that will notify you via a mobile app in the event that any alarms go off.
6. ENGAGING THE SERVICE OF PRIVATE SECURITY OUTFIT: If you can afford it, please engage the service of a well registered security organization to give your home maximum security coverage. Their operatives are specifically trained to keep you secured. Being stingy to hire? Remember, if you don’t pay for security, you’ll pay for insecurity. Unfortunately, the payment for insecurity comes with the packages of tears and regrets. Mr. Collins really understood this part very well and wouldn’t want to experience it again

In conclusion, you should never compromise your home’s safety and security. You can be confident that you have taken all reasonable precautions to safeguard your family members and your property by putting the professional advice and techniques provided in this guide into practice. I hope you find this information useful. Thanks for reading.

James T. Abel Adesitimi

Content-Writer/Poet/Blogger/Curator Deeprows

– Deeprows Article