Home Security: Think Outside the Box
What comes to mind when you think about your HOME. Is it just a place where we put our heads to sleep at night? For many people, their home is their sanctuary. It houses all the physical belongings that are important to them, both physically and emotionally. A majority of people overlook the value of their belongings contained in their home, until it is too late. There are many overlooked security issues that we don't surface until an actual burglary occurs in one's home. I had recently watched a reality show called "It Takes A Theif" which airs on the Discovery Channel, which pinpoints real security issues that are commonly overlooked. Fortunately, for the homeowners, they gain an insightful security evaluation of their homes and daily habits. After experiencing a staged burglary, their consciousness about security is widened. Which in turn makes them more keen to security flaws and issues around them. As an avid viewer of this television show, I have been gotten security wiser as well.
Some useful facts that I have picked up from this television program and it's website that I have implemented measures in my own life are outlined in this article. For instance, it was made clear to me that a majority of burglaries occur in the middle of the day. This was contrary to my belief, since television and Hollywood seems to depict burglaries late at night between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., when most people are asleep. When in actuality, they usually occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., when no one is likely to be home. In my own life, I have made taken the measure to be at home, or have someone present in my home between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Another measure that I have taken to increase the security measures in my life involves planning my vacationing schedule. Another tidbit revealed by the show reveals that incidences of burglaries increase during the summer, particularly in the months of July and August, when many people are away from their homes on vacation. In my own life, I have always stray away from taking vacations during the norm. I have requested vacation times during off-season and non-holiday time frames. There are benefits to this vacationing approach, which adds up to less stress and money saved in your wallet.
Another often overlooked security point in the home is the front door. The show pointed out that most burglars gain entry to a home through the front door, often because it has been left unlocked. I have found this to be true, as my significant other, constantly points out how I subconsciously leave the front door unlocked at various times of the day. This is easy to do, if you have pets, package/food deliveries, visitors to your home, and errands to run throughout the day.
The front door, with it's high priced deadbolt and locking mechanisms available, is often the last door to be locked or checked by a home's inhabitants. It is sort of ironic, that people place such high reliance on their front doors to keep them safe and secure, only to be self-defeating their front doors through their daily routines. I have combat this irony in my own life, by alternating my daily routine to be less dependent of the front door. I would give instructions to my deliveries to enter through a side gate. I would take in groceries through my garage instead of through the front door. I would have friends and family enter my home through the backdoor, which gives them a chance to view my backyard and home projects.
So in conclusion, I felt that the insight that this television program should encourage it's viewers to take a proactive security approach in their own lives. You never want to be the person that says "If only I could have..." With this in mind, I encourage people to stop being the victim and take action like I have. Every little bit of conscious effort can make a difference in increasing your security at home. I encourage you to be creative and have fun with it, and don't be over-paranoid, just only be mindful of your surroundings.
Author: Herbert Hin Wong