General Rules For a Secure Home
A columnist from the Daily News TSN, Athumani Maige shares his general set of rules in keeping home safe and secure.
►While it is fine to have drinking acquaintances at pubs and bars, parents should refrain from bringing home such persons unless one is sure of their reputations. Robbers have been known to befriend patrons of drinking joints, only later to terrorize a neighbourhood with spate of robberies. Being in the company of such individuals in the vicinity of the home might give the impression you know them, they can come back later and convince your family to allow them to enter your compound. Inviting casual drinking buddies home is a no-no in home security.
►Being unique for example wearing particular clothes always such as blue, red, white suits or dresses that create permanent names like Mr White, Red and Mrs Blue, or always taking the same route home every day 24/7 makes it to trace you back to your home. Vary your dress and habits; it may keep your family safe.
►Do not divulge home and family details to every Tom, Dick and Harry. They may be good people, but if they repeat the same to friends and acquaintances, the information can get to criminal elements. Once they know what you music system, TV, furniture, other valuables you may be keeping at home, it is a matter of time before they hatch a plan to remove them out from your care. Children should be taught not to give important information to outside persons who may use it to rob the family.
►Home security lights at night play a big role to deter crimes at residences. It is important that homes must be installed with security lights whose switches are located inside the house and can not be accessed from outside. Rules must put in place that such security lights are switch on and off every night by a family member only. Thieves don’t attempt to attack a house surrounded by of lights as they can be identified by family members or neighbours. This is why robbers shout to family members to switch off all lights during the robbery.
►A physical perimeter or fence surrounding a residence has more capability to stop crime at homes because criminals are slowed down when they have to jump fences during house breaking. Many have been trapped in these home fences as family members wake up and see a thief before s/he can climb out the compound.
►Keeping all front and back doors locked at all times can save lives and stop unfriendly guests getting into your house.
►Door bells or knocks should be answered by grown up family members who can identify a person requesting for permission to enter the residence. Under age children should not be allowed to welcome guests especially at night or late evenings. Family members can easily be taken as human shield during robbery.
►A family living with security awareness must have a planned and agreed procedure to follow during home invasion by robbers. Such procedures must be known to all family members including children. Some families have actually rehearsed these procedures which include places of hiding and who will stand guard. The front doorway must always be left clear during external or forceful home breaking. This is because thieves target breaking the front door with heavy object like a big stone which can injure anyone trying to stand or protect that door.
Athumani Maige also advices us on what to do when our home are invaded:
◄Don’t panic but keep hope that a help is on the way. Continue shouting and calling for help.
◄Never obey orders by the bandits to switch off security lights and remain quiet. The light and noises at the invaded home are the only hope that will bring help to family. Darkness will create a safe avenue for escaping bandits
◄If your neighbour is invaded, you should never rush towards the invaded home since such a move can be very risky and can put your own life in danger. Bandits normal leave a static patrol outside the invaded home. The best you can do to help your invaded neighbour is to call for the police support and response.
◄If you own a gun you can make several shots in the air or through windows and of different directions of your house. The noise may scare the bandits who may abort the robbery or attack and alert police patrol’s attention.
