Gardai recommendations: How to Secure your home this summer

June is somehow here already and with many of us will be looking forward to relaxing in the sun (when it appears), heading out with our families and jetting off for a summer holiday.

One thing that probably isn’t on your mind during these times is your home’s safety. For this reason An Garda Síochána run a Summertime Home Security campaign.

During their launch, they have released statistics on Irish burglaries in the summer and how best to prevent them.

THE STATS

25% of burglars enter through an unsecured door or window in the summer months, compared to 16% in Winter.

The most common time for home burglaries in summer occur between midnight and 4am and from 12pm – 3pm.

Stolen gardening equipment rises by 23% in summer periods. Ride-on lawnmowers and chainsaws are frequently taken. Bicycles and other sports equipment theft also increases more at this time of the year.

TOP TIPS

1) Ensure all your doors and windows are locked. With the warmer weather, many of us leave doors and windows open, but this can be seen as invitation for intruders. If you leave the house even for a quick trip to the shop, make sure that you lock your doors and windows.

2) During the summer months, your Facebook homepage can get bombarded with people checking into airports, informing their friends where they’re travelling to. The Gardaí warn against this and holiday photos while you’re still away because it acts as an advertisement that you’re not at home, providing an opportunity for burglars to strike. It’s advised to simply wait until your home to upload those holiday snaps. 

3) The Gardaí advise you to turn on your house alarm, even when you are home. With a large number of break-ins occurring in the middle of the night, it’s important you get protection even when you’re in the home. With a Safenet burglar alarm we will monitor your home’s safety 24/7 and when a break-in is confirmed, we will dispatched the nearest available Garda to your home. So, you focus on having a summer to remember, while we will make sure you come back to a safe and secure home.