Top tips for home security

The ultimate burglar deterrent is a house that looks occupied, and the easiest way to achieve that is to get a house sitter. If that’s not an option, recruit a friend or neighbour to park in your driveway now and then, wheel your bins in and out, and collect the mail. Nothing screams “we’re away” quite like an overflowing letterbox or bins sitting on the kerb all week.

Fully closed curtains are another big giveaway, so leave drapes in their usual position, and inject a few extra hints of life by leaving some washing on the clothesline and a few pairs of shoes at the door. And before you hit the road, mow the lawns and trim the hedges – overgrown gardens suggest an empty house and provide excellent cover for prowlers.

Top tip: Tempted to flood Instagram with your beachside snaps? Resist the urge until you’re back on home turf. Public posts announcing that you’re away can be an open invitation to thieves, so be shrewd about sharing.

One of the best ways to make burglars think someone’s home is through smart technology that goes well beyond the old school plug-in timers. These days there are all manner of clever gadgets to power up your security. You can monitor your entire home from your phone, and even talk to whoever’s at your front door from the comfort of your deck chair.

• Use smart bulbs and plugs to mimic your real routine. Set them to switch on at random intervals and sync them with your TV or radio for some added background chatter.
• Bright light is a burglar’s worst enemy so install motion-sensor lighting around entrances and pathways.
• Smart doorbells let you see and speak to visitors in real time, and they’re cheap and easy to install. Whether it’s a courier delivery or someone ‘just checking if anyone’s home’, you can answer as if you’re inside.
• AI-powered smart security cameras provide another layer of remote monitoring and deterrence, sending you an alert on your smartphone if anyone is snooping around your property.
• Forget hiding a spare key under the doormat, opt instead for smart locks which offer keyless entry options (like fingerprint or facial recognition), and allow you to lock and unlock your doors remotely via an app. You can even grant temporary digital keys so that a trusted neighbour or family member can check on your place while you’re away.
• Set your security alarm – this one seems obvious but it might surprise you the number of Kiwis who have security alarms but don’t bother setting them!

Reports show that unlocked doors and windows provide the entry points for close to half of all home burglaries in New Zealand, so before you head off into the summer sun check every entry point is firmly locked (yes, even that small, high-up toilet window). Locks not up to scratch? Consider upgrading to deadbolts (the gold standard for doors), and use security bars on sliding doors and windows (or even a sturdy piece of wooden dowel).

Don’t forget the garage. Disconnect automatic openers if you can, and be sure to lock internal doors between the garage and house. Put a sturdy padlock on the garden shed to lock up ladders and tools (unless you want to provide burglars with a convenient burglary kit).

Should the unthinkable happen despite your diligence, limit what burglars can take by hiding your valuables smartly. Stash precious jewellery and electronics in unexpected spots or use a bolted-down safe, and whatever you do, avoid hiding them in the master bedroom as it’s typically the first place burglars look.

Save photos and important documents to the cloud before you go, and record the serial numbers of electronics, bikes and other belongings, to help with recovery if things are stolen. Burglars hate traceable goods, so it’s also worth labelling all your gear with a UV or indelible pen and engraving your initials on jewellery.

While no home is ever entirely burglar-proof, each layer of security you add reduces your risk. Afterall, nothing kills that post-holiday glow faster than arriving home to find your front door open and the TV gone. So, before you hit the road this summer, follow these simple steps to safeguard your greatest asset.