Our mortgage brokers know that even in a family-friendly town like Kwinana, you still need to keep your home safe from crime. Besides making yourself less likely to be robbed, it has an extra benefit: you can save money on your insurance. Here are some results from a survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) about how to deter burglars.
Looking for an Easy Target
AIC decided not to question homeowners, but to question criminals who had broken into homes and were subsequently caught. The results of the survey verify what many already knew or at least suspected: a vast majority of criminals are looking for easy targets. In fact, a property that screams “easy target” was like blood to a shark for a majority of the criminals.
Only 32.8% of criminals said they had planned their crimes. 57% of the crimes committed by those who were surveyed were spontaneous crimes in which criminals were passing by a house that presented such easy “breaks” that they couldn’t resist robbing them.
The main “bait” for habitual criminals: easy access, the potential of “quick in-and-out” and the likelihood that the homes contained items that were easily transported, easily sold and valuable enough to make good money for the thief.
What You Can Do
So, how can you make your home less inviting to thieves? Here’s what the criminals said are most likely to keep them from robbing your home.
61.1%: a dog.
49.1%: an alarm system that is turned on and working.
22.8%: sensor lights.
19.3%: lights turned on inside house.
19.0%: grills on doors and windows.
14.0%: don’t know the area
14.0%: good visibility of property from road
12.3%: gates.
If you can’t do everything, here’s how to make your home safer without costing an arm and a leg.
- Install security screens on doors and windows.
- Trim trees and shrubs to make your home more visible.
- Put sensor lights by doors, windows and foot paths.
Call Smartline Rockingham Today
If you are in the market for a home loan, call a mortgage broker at Smartline Rockingham today: (08) 9527 1800.
