Home Security: Lockdown

Stop burglars in their tracks by following simple security measures in your home

Home security is a serious matter, requiring careful analysis. Criminals look for targets that are lucrative and vulnerable and then attack the most unguarded ones. As per the crime triangle theory, three essential elements for a theft are desire, ability and opportunity. While you can’t do much about the first two elements, you can certainly reduce any kind of opportunities available to burglars.

LOCKS

• The bolt of the lock should be at least one inch long.

• Use two locks spaced wide apart on the outer doors.

• The connecting screws that hold the lock together must be on the inside of the home and made of hardened steel. Screwheads should not be visible on the outside.

• Door locks should be checked at night. It is common practice for criminals to first check for open doors or windows before breaking in.

• Keys of exterior doors should never be given to domestic help.

• Change the locks of outer doors:

o If the key has been compromised.

o If the key is misplaced (change the lock even if you find it).

o If you have new household staff.

o When moving into a new house with pre-installed locks.

• At night, leave the keys half turned inside the locks. This will pre-empt someone from opening the door using a duplicate key.

Breaking into a building: common techniques

1. Forced entry: Tools are used to unlawfully enter a building for the purpose of committing a theft or felony. The thief creates an opening in the wall or the roof and breaks doors and windows.

2. Fake credentials: An attempt is made to enter the house by using the credentials of a repairman.

3. Compromised insider: With the aid of domestic staff, the thief makes an entry into the house.

LIGHTS

• Use security lighting to deter potential criminals.

• Connect external lights to a UPS to have continuous availability of light.

• Have adequate exterior lighting to illuminate the house from outside.

DOORS

• The exterior doors are the first barriers meant to offer maximum delay to burglars. They should either have a solid wood or metal core.

• The front door should open outwards so it cannot be pushed open.

• The switchboard of all lights should be placed inside the house.

• Use door chains and door viewers that provide a 180-degree view.

• Glass should not be used in an exterior door and there should not be any window within 40 inches of it.

Protective Measures

• Determine the level of security required for your house and whether or not you need to hire the services of a professional security company. Too many unnecessary protective measures can invite the undue attention of burglars.

• Find out about previous incidents of theft, robbery or burglary in the vicinity.

• Do not have dark corners in or around your house. Look for wild growth, deserted or dimly lit areas. These could serve as hiding places for criminals.

• Find out where the nearest police station is located and get its phone number.

• Do not display your name outside the house. Just mention the address.

• Beware of people ringing your door bell asking for an address or carrying out a survey. They could actually be probing your response and ascertaining the number of people in your house. Place an intercom at the entrance with a camera.

• Always keep copies of CNICs and recent photographs of your domestic help.

WINDOWS

• Consider securing your windows with materials like tempered glass, which is much more durable and less expensive than traditional glass since it is more difficult to break it.

• Laminated glass, also known as safety glass, is another option for windows. To break through safety glass, a burglar would have to constantly strike the same spot thereby creating a lot of noise and risk alerting people around.

• A Charley bar is a device that mounts to the frame opposite the sliding windows and swings down behind the window to stop it from sliding. A stick inserted into the bottom track can be used in the same way. This is useful for sliding windows.

• Install metal grills with small spaces in their patterns.

• Avoid planting trees close to your windows, as these may help burglars climb up to more accessible windows.

• Keep one window in every bedroom available as a fire exit by having sliding grills with locks.

USE OF WEAPONS

If you want to use a weapon, the following things should be kept in mind:

• You must have a license.

• Be aware of the consequences of shooting a thief.

• The decision to use weapons should be made very carefully.

• Handle the weapon correctly as you may not get a second chance.

• Hide weapons from household staff and children.

SURROUNDINGS

• Consider keeping dogs as a deterrent to thieves.

• Trim trees and shrubs so that they cannot be used as hiding places for intruders.

Omar Safdar has served in the Pakistan Army for over 20 years and is a certified protection professional (CPP). He specialises in the fields of loss prevention and corporate security. He tweets @omarsafdar_CPP

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, August 16^th, 2015.