10 Simple Yet Effective Home Safety Tips

According to a recent news report by the New Straits Times, the crime rate in Selangor has reduced by about 19% from the same period last year. However, many Malaysians still have a bad perception of the crime rate, due partly to the various crime-related news that are published and viewed every day. As responsible and vigilant citizens, we should also play our part in ensuring the safety of ourselves and our home. Here are 10 simple yet useful tips that may help secure our homes and prevent burglaries.

#1 – Put your car keys on your bedside table
Keep your car keys on your bedside table at night. If you hear suspicious noises outside your home or someone trying to enter your house, simply press the panic button for your vehicle. The alarm will scare off the intruder, and (annoyed) neighbours will be looking out their windows for the source of the disturbance. This tip is also handy when walking alone in deserted car parks to your vehicle.

#2 – Leave lights on when going out
If you plan to go out for several hours until after dark, leave the lights on before heading out. You can also leave the radio or television on to enhance the illusion that the property is occupied. Burglars will be less likely to break in if they think there are people inside. If you’re afraid of high electricity bills, try installing LED light bulbs to save energy.

#3 – Stop daily deliveries when away for extended periods
Uncollected newspapers, letters and flyers are signs that the tenants of a property are not at home. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, notify your daily deliveries in advance, and get your neighbour’s help to collect mail.

Uncollected letters, newspapers and deliveries are a signal that nobody is at home. (Photo: Pixabay)

#4 – Secure all door and window locks
Make sure all your door and window locks are secure. Many burglaries happen when intruders are able to gain entry via unlocked windows or poorly secured doors. Faulty locks should be repaired as soon as possible, and locks should be changed if your keys have been lost or stolen.

#5 – Install an alarm system
Installing a home alarm system can be expensive, so if you can’t afford to spend the extra money, simply put an alarm system sign or install a few ‘dummy’ CCTVs around your house so that burglars think you have one. A home that has an alarm system (real or otherwise) that can summon the polics is a much less appealing target to potential burglars and thieves.

Home security sticker (Flickr / Mr.TinDC)

#6 – Never hide a key outside your house
We’ve all seen it in movies and read about it in books, but hiding a key outside your house isn’t exactly the best idea. The doormat or flowerpot are the first places others will look, or somebody might see you retrieving the key at some point, thus compromising your home’s safety. Instead, give the spare keys to a neighbour or friend for safekeeping, whom you can easily contact in case you are locked out without your keys.

#7 – Get to know your neighbours
Getting to know your neighbours and being on good terms with them is an important safety precaution. They will be able to identify strangers or unusual activity in the area, and help you keep a casual eye out for your property when you are away. Studies have consistently found that watch programs effectively reduce crime and violence in neighborhoods.

#8 – Avoid disclosing vacation details on social media
It can be tempting to brag about your upcoming week-long holiday to Tokyo or a romantic getaway at the Maldives, but if nobody is at home at that time, it will make your home a target for burglaries. True story: robbers have used Facebook to check people’s status updates to determine when they would be away, and breaking into their homes at the stated time.

#9 – “Beware of Dog”
Even if your dog is a cute, fluffy Shih Tzu that would sooner beg for treats than bite people, having a pet that can alert others to strangers in the house might deter intruders. If you don’t want the hassle of owning a guard dog, similar to the alarm system trick mentioned earlier in #5, putting up a “Beware of Dog” sign may be enough to make burglars think twice about breaking in.

A “Beware of Dog” sign may make intruders think twice. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

# 10 – Be vigilant and careful of your surroundings
Being a little paranoid about your safety may not be a bad thing. Little things like getting into your car before opening the auto-gate, waiting for your auto-gate to close before exiting your vehicle, keeping an eye out for any suspicious individuals loitering around your property, and updating yourself with recent crime news in the area will go a long way towards ensuring your personal and home safety.