Do Not Invite Burglars to Your Residence

By Joseph Osire, Field Security Assistant UNDSS, Entebbe

The UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) takes various steps to guide staff on residential security measures. However, it’s always common for our staff to ignore security advisories and this puts their security at risk. By ignoring these advisories, you are indirectly inviting burglars to your residence because these thugs do their surveillance to identify any weakness or lapses.

Here are some of the tips to help you stay safe in your residence and once you know the likely risks, you can evaluate your residence and see what you need to protect it.

1. Set up a Security system: Your home should have some form of security system. Whether it is the basic guard access control system or one that comes with professional monitoring and house automation features, this prevents unauthorized persons freely accessing your residence.

2. Secure the Doors: 34% of burglars stroll in through the front door. Inspect all your exterior doors to make sure the door frames are strong and hinges are protected. If you are moving into the residence that someone else used to call home, change the door locks. That way you won’t have strangers out there with a key to your house. Make sure your locks are the best on the market. Some reinforcements recommended to help you secure these vital entryways are installing a deadbolt, adding a strike plate, upgrading to smart locks or boosting security with a video door bell.

Reinforce the sliding glass doors: Intruders love sliding doors, so make sure yours are protected. Use a window bar or dowel in the track to keep the door from being forced open. If you want a high- tech solution, add door sensor or glass break sensor. This will alert you if the glass door is tampered with and should scare off thieves.

3. Lock the windows: Windows are a common entry point for criminals and may be left shut but unlocked. Ensure that windows are locked at all times and make your windows burglar proof by reinforcing glass with window security film, install window sensors or glass break sensors and you can also add window bars.

4. Light up the Landscape: Vandals, burglars and other criminals don’t like to be in the spotlight. Keep them at bay with ample outdoor lighting. Make sure your residence is well illuminated all round including outdoor structures and along pathways. Your outdoor security lights can be more effective if you use motion activated lights or put outdoor lights on a timer and you can save energy with solar powered lights.

5. Don’t forget the Garage: This entry point is becoming more popular with criminals. Even if they can’t access your house, chances are high that they can vandalize the car or take other good stuff kept in the garage. Make it a habit to lock all the doors to the garage.

6. Eliminate hiding places: Trees and shrubs may give your house a curb appeal, but they also give burglars a handy place to hide. Trim down trees and plants close to your home that can be used as cover. If you have trees near the windows, either remove them or reinforce the windows with extra security.

7. Add Security cameras: This is one home security solution that works as both a deterrent and a means to get justice. You can get a professional advice to help you acquire and install the cameras which can help you in this regard.

8. Get a Safe. A safe is a secure depository for everything from jewelry to vital documents like passports. It should be fire resistant, waterproof and heavy enough that a thief cannot walk away with it.

Firearms are desirable items for criminals and a safe is a good place to keep your weapon and protect your family from the risk of a tragic accident.

9. Use Home Automation. Home automation gives you remote or scheduled control of lights, door locks, security cameras, smoke alarms and other safety devices. You can get real time alerts about suspicious activity so you can respond quickly and thwart potential thieves.