These are uncertain times for all of us. Fortunately, we’re in the safest and most comfortable place possible… our homes. Our homes are the one place in the world where we can all allow ourselves to be vulnerable. The home is a fortress within which we barricade ourselves away from the world and all its scary uncertainties. And in recent month the home has also become our workplace, our gym and the hub of our (suddenly meager) social lives.
Many of us are using this time to make some changes around the home, from clearing away clutter and carrying out a deep spring clean to carrying out more serious renovations. After all, if we’re going to be sequestered in our home for weeks more to come, we might as well enjoy our living space! Still, there’s one thing many have overlooked in our zeal to revitalize our homes… our security!
Coronavirus and crime rates… why the statistics aren’t as reassuring as they seem
The COVID-19 virus and subsequent lockdown have has a positive effect on crimes overall, with crime rates dropping all over the country. However, if history has taught us one lesson repeatedly, it’s that economic downturns make people desperate. According to the World Economic Forum, an economic depression can increase arrest rates by over 10%. We’ve already seen that in certain areas of New York City, while crime rates have dropped in general, burglaries and car thefts have actually doubled since the city went into lockdown.
One thing’s for sure, there’s no such thing as being too prepared when it comes to your home security. Here are some ways to protect your home during the current crisis.
Update your locks
A locked door isn’t the impenetrable safeguard that we tend to assume it is. Indeed, for desperate and cunning burglars, a locked door may seem like an open challenge. If you’ve never changed your locks, you may have an old fashioned cylinder that’s easily overcome by an enterprising thief. Lock snapping is an unfortunately common practice used by burglars to gain entry to homes. To be on the safe side, you may want to update your locks, not just for front doors but for rear and garage doors too. You can still call out a locksmith under lockdown, and they can carry out their work while still keeping you and your family safe from infection. It might just be the most important call you make this year.
Invest in a video doorbell
In the current climate, even something as simple as answering the doorbell can lead to exposure to the coronavirus. But how can you tell if the ring at the doorbell is a kindly neighbor asking if they can pick you up anything from the grocery store or a stranger who could unintentionally expose you to risk? Investing in a video doorbell will send a HD video feed direct to your smartphone when the doorbell rings.
Think twice about where you keep your keys
Your house keys and your car keys could be an invitation to the desperate and the opportunistic at a time like this. The sad truth is that people are more likely to commit crimes if they believe they can get away with it easily.
It takes no effort whatsoever to be vigilant about where you keep the keys to your home, car or garage. Make sure they’re never left in plan sight on places like the mantlepiece or window sill. If possible keep them in a safe to which only you and your family have the combination.
Keep expensive belongings out of plain sight
You’ve worked hard for that gorgeous vase, the big TV, the games console, the 5.1 Dolby Atmos surround system. You want to show them off to your friends and neighbors. But while this is understandable, it’s also another potential invitation to burglars. Especially if you or your kids leave high value portable items like cell phones, tablets or portable games consoles out in full view of the open window. Burglars tend to be attracted to small, expensive items that they can grab quickly before making their getaway. Limit what’s visible and your home will be much less appealing to would be thieves.
Protecting your home requires a combination of minor investment and vigilance. But you’ll sleep that much more soundly knowing that you, your family and your belongings are protected in every sense of the word during these uncertain times.
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