Four easy ways to prevent home intruders

Secure your home for the holidays Photo: iStock

Summer holidays are the best time of year to go away to enjoy the sunshine with your friends and family. But there’s always that lingering feeling of ‘did I forget anything?’ or, more importantly, did you check the security of your home?

Home break-ins increase over the holiday period, so before you pack up and head out on your next family summer adventure, here are a few quick easy tips to prevent any intruders from entering your property.

1. Make friends with your neighbours
Your neighbours are your best eyes and ears while you’re away, so ask next door to complete a few tasks. They can pick up the paper, take your bins out and check the mailbox regularly to avoid pile up.

2. Keep up appearances
Keep any potential intruders fooled by asking a friend or neighbour to park in your driveway and leave some shoes outside the front doorway to make people think someone’s home. Another measure is to leave a radio on inside so outsiders can hear 'someone home' and not take the chance to break in.

3. Install a home security system
Installing home security has never been easier! Panasonic Home Alert Kit is DIY friendly and includes an indoor and outdoor camera, window and door sensors. Once you’ve installed all the components, you can keep an eye on your home via your smart phone or tablet through an app that shows you live footage of what’s really going on.

4. Turn the lights on
If you’ve installed the Home Alert Kit, there are many advantages of the smart plug that’s included. You can remotely turn the lights on and off from your phone wherever you are- extremely helpful for fooling intruders into thinking that you’re watching TV in your living room when reality is your sipping cocktails on a beach far, far away.