White Pages® News

Protect your home from intruders

March 5, 2012

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Deterring burglars doesn’t have to cost the earth with these affordable tips on boosting both your home’s security measures and your own peace-of-mind using White Pages®.

A recent ADT Security survey found the impact of a burglary is often much worse than just stolen goods – 34 per cent of victims suffered anxiety and 15 per cent suffered sleeping problems after being robbed*.

There are three main ways you can protect your home and reduce your risk.

Make your home unappealing to intruders
There is no need to stop mowing the lawn or painting your house, simply reduce the temptation for a thief to rob it. Chances are, they’ll pick an easier target.

Just bought a nice, big television? Leave the packaging in your garage until collection day so thieves aren’t clued in to your shiny new purchase. Consider enquiring about the date of your next hard rubbish collection day to ensure bulky boxes aren’t left behind by the garbage man. Contact your local council using White Pages® Government Search to find its contact details.

Light up your house by installing motion sensor lights. There are a huge range of these to choose from, so get some advice from your electrician. Simply enter the name into White Pages® Business Search to get their contact details.

If all else fails and an intruder breaks into your home, send him packing with a loud security alarm that alerts a security firm of the breach. Consult a specialty security company for advice on models and features or pop down to your local hardware store.

Consider saving the contact details of your regular tradespeople in a White Pages®  MyList – you can access your MyList online where ever you are when problems arise at your home.

Make your home hard to get into
A big secure fence is the first option to deter intruders and a good one, also think about some less obvious ways to stop the bad guys from getting in.

Plant thorny bushes by your ground-level windows to deter robbers from peeking in and seeing what’s on offer. Dial up the contact details of your local nursery using White Pages® Business Search to find out the best bushes for the job. Just make sure you trim them from time to time to ensure they don’t become a good hiding place.

Enlist your neighbours
Stickybeak neighbours can be one of your best resources in relation to home security. Let them know when you won’t be in town so they can keep an eye on your place, collect your mail and even park their car in your driveway to make it look like you’re around.

Contact your local police station by finding their contact details using White Pages® Government Search and enquire about an existing Neighbourhood Watch program. These programs can provide valuable intelligence on robberies in the area, as well as further tips on how to prevent a break-in.

By using White Pages® to help make your house unappealing to burglars, you will boost your own state-of-mind and keep your home safe.

*ADT Secure Homes Report, October 2010