Whether you live in a personal house or rent an apartment, protecting oneself against burglary can be a nightmare. Measures to prove the contrary may be helpful in this regard.

Home burglary is probably the most preventable of all crimes. By taking a few simple precautions, you can instantly reduce the risks.

The first step is to determine what kind of threat you are trying to protect against. For example, defending against life threats, such as assault, requires different measures than defending against burglary.

Henry Zizinga is an expert of Sekanyolya systems at KBC (Kigali Business Centre) building; he says that following the precautions below can help one ensure home security.

Make your home look occupied all the time and use automated light systems whle away from home. This could be of great value for your home safety.

A burglar alarm system can  solve problems of burglary that can occur in homes. Its main system contains a control panel with zones ranging from 4-32.

"When installed and intrusion occurs, a siren always goes off and a strobe light flickers warning the user of any danger,” he said adding that having the housing camera installed helps to monitor the surroundings which can save you from risks of burglary.

When away for more than a day

Zizinga explains that if possible, have your home telephone calls forwarded when you are away from home. Burglars sometimes check to see if someone is home by making a telephone call.

Stop giving information about your absence to people whom you do not know. There are systems available that will open and close window draperies by timer. Constantly open or closed curtains can tip the burglar off that no one is keeping your home.

"The lights coming on and turning off attract the attention of neighbours, install these lights at least 8 feet above the ground so they are more difficult to disable,” he said.

He said that install the motion detector lights so they light all doors and windows since they are the most preferred entry points.

Remove bushes and shrubs from around the house, especially under windows and next to doors and keep your front yard free from overgrowth shrubs and bushes; if possible plant some with thorns to deter potential intruders from hiding in them.

Install a security alarm system with a loud alarm and flashing lights. These will attract the attention of neighbours. If you install an alarm, remember to test the system periodically.

Use common sense caution

He said that always lock all doors and windows when you leave the house; use a peephole to identify visitors before opening your door; do not hide spare keys outside your home but instead give one to a trusted neighbour; do not provide your house keys to service people and do not invite strangers into your home.

Do not have money or jewellery lying out in view from a window. If possible, keep jewellery and other small valuables and important documents in a safe deposit box.
Do not tell strangers your daily routines and if you are at home working outside, leave all other doors that are out of sight locked.

Avoid telling others about the valuables in your home. If you have children, discuss home security issues with them, such as not talking with strangers.

Zizinga cautions that the average burglar will spend no more than four to five minutes trying to break into a residence, so when moving into a new residence, have the locks changed.

Secure your exterior doors and any doors from attached garages by installing: Good quality deadbolt door locks, security-type door strikes, strong and properly installed doors and doorframes that cannot be spread apart.

Prune lower branches of trees near your house if they could help a burglar gain access to a second story window and secure your patio door with a pin-type lock, a key lock, or a steel rod inserted into the door channel.

Secure your garage by installing automatic openers or bolt-type locks on each end of the garage doors. Take time to become knowledgeable about your situation and your options so that you can best decide what to do and remember, you can also ask your local police for advice.

He advised that mark your belongings with an engraving so that they can be traced once stolen. Ask your police department what numbers to use when marking your belongings. Never mark them with your social security number.

He said that home people should notify management if they notice burned out light bulbs, dark corridors, broken locks on doors or other safety concerns. Call the police immediately on emergency call number 112 if you see suspicious activities within your home and neighbourhood.

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