6 Home security facts you may not know

Every homeowner should make an effort to protect their dwelling from criminals. Whether you know it or not, burglars are constantly on the lookout for new victims, and you might be one of them. So, here are six shocking home security facts.

The majority of burglars never get caught
If your home is ever broken into, don’t ever expect the burglar to get arrested. According to some home security experts, only about 10% of burglaries ever get solved, so in the rare case that the police actually catch the burglar, your stolen property is usually not recovered. Hopefully if this does ever happen to you, you have a good insurance policy.

Home burglaries are very common
Burglaries are very common and they occur in thousands of communities across the world. No matter what some people believe, you don’t actually have to live in a high-crime area in order to become a victim of burglary. Even extremely safe neighbourhoods are not immune to burglaries.

Burglars avoid homes that have a security system
Most thieves prefer to target homes that do not have a home security system. SIS – Security and Investigation Services can you provide you or your business with a professional security system that will deter burglars, plus the loud sound of an alarm will immediately scare burglars off.

Most burglars use forced entry
Although you may keep your doors locked and secure, a burglar who is aggressive and uses physical force can still gain entry into your home. In some cases, a powerful kick may cause a door to fly open. The best thing to do is to get reliable security experts to put security sensors on every door.

Burglars are fast
Burglars try their best to get away from the crime scene immediately. An experienced criminal can actually complete a burglary in less than 10 minutes. As soon as the burglar enters the home, he will begin to search for valuable items. Often times, the victim’s home will be ransacked, because burglars realize that they must act quickly.

Very few homes have a security system
Despite the fact that crime remains a big issue, the majority of homes still do not have a security system. Research shows that less than 20% of homeowners choose to install an alarm system.

Be sure to always consider installing a professional home security system. Choose SIS – Security & Investigation Services for an affordable and reliable home security system.  

Written By: Christine Romans

Four secrets to improving your home security

Many homeowners don’t take security precautions, it’s understandable not everyone remembers or they just assume they won’t be a victim of a crime, but you need to realise that securing your home is extremely

important. Read these four secrets and keep them in mind if you want to improve your home security…

Bolster Your Doorways
While having locks on your doors will stop people from simply walking in, they won’t stop a determined thief who is willing to use brute force. Every outside door on your house should have at least two locks, and for the best protection install a deadbolt near the top and another one at the bottom.

Don’t Tempt Burglars
Even if your home has no sign of any valuables inside, it will still often be burglarized. This doesn't mean that you can’t try and look at things from a burglar’s point of view and get rid of any temptations. There are a few ways to do this, firstly make sure to move any valuable items away from the windows. You should also use caution when bringing expensive items home, don’t unload them in plain view of the whole neighbourhood and be sure to dispose of the packaging properly.

Illuminate Import Spots
Burglars tend to steer towards darkened entry ways or obscured windows so they can get into your home without being seen. A few lights placed in the right places will stop them from doing this. All of your doorways should be lit up at night, if it’s too much of a hassle to turn them on and off put them on an automated timer or get motion sensor lights.

Stop Burglars the High-tech Way
If you have a modern alarm system, it should make things incredibly difficult for burglars. Your security devices should be set up in layers so that there are many chances to catch them in the act. Since most alarm systems can send a message to law enforcement immediately, the burglars will be caught or scared away in mere minutes.

For a professional, reliable home security system contact SIS - Security & Investigation Services. They can provide you with a wide variety of services from general guarding and farm protection to CCTV off site and alarm monitoring.

Written By: Christine Romans

How to protect your elderly family from home intrusion

You always need to ensure that your aging parents’ home is safe and secure. There have been reports that homes where women or senior citizens who are alone are prime targets for home invasions. There are many things that can be done to protect your elderly family members; here are some things that can be done to decrease the chance of your older family members from becoming victims:

  §  Trim trees and shrubs to eliminate hiding places for thieves.

  §  Keep the outside of your home well lit, especially outside windows and doors. You can install motion sensor lights to deter any burglars and alert you of potential criminals.

  §  Make it difficult for an intruder to enter your home. Be certain that all your windows and doors are locked properly and cannot be forced open.

  §  Many communities have free or low cost repairs to low-income seniors. Check with local senior organisations for more information.

  §  Create and maintain safe and easy escape routes in very room. You need to ensure that you know how to get out fast.

  §  When you are away from home, use timers on inside lamps and radios to create the illusion of an occupied home.

  §  When you return home always give the house a brief survey before entering. If anything looks suspicious, call the police immediately.

  §  Form a neighbourhood watch program and watch out for one another.

  §  Report suspicious activity to the police.

  §  Install a modern security system

  §  Follow safe practices with your elderly family members every day.

There has been many studies that indicate that home invasion is on the top of the list of concerns for senior citizens, this is understandable because property crimes represent the highest share of crimes against 65 years and older. If you do the steps listed above, you will give you and your elderly family member’s peace of mind.

For all your home security needs, contact SIS - Security & Investigation Services. They can offer your a wide variety of services, from general guarding and farm protection to CCTV off site and alarm monitoring.

Written By: Christine Romans

Home security weaknesses you may be ignoring

As a homeowner you may be surprised to learn that your habits are improving burglars’ chances of breaking in successfully. Naturally, if you change your habits you will deprive crooks of having an advantage over you. All you need to do is get rid of these vulnerabilities in security to make your home a more difficult target.

  v  Predictable Schedule
Burglars look for people who have regular schedules, they like to find a home that is usually left open for hours every day at the same time. Once thieves have seen that they will have a lot of time to search for valuables, they’ll make their move! The best thing you can do is try to change your schedule every now and then and take different routes to and from your house. Majority of us have to work the same hours every day, but it is possible to make small changes to your other activities that will throw off any potential burglars.

  v  Concealment
Sometimes you might be helping burglars approach your house without even knowing it. You may do this by planting tight clusters of bushes or not having lights around your doorways, burglars can then be easily concealed. Always be sure to trim any bushes and consider even removing any that are big enough to be used as hiding places. Your doorways should also always be lit up well so that you can see burglars if they try to break in.

  v  Accidental Invitations
Thieves are very talented at looking for signs that a home has valuables inside, but homeowners are sometimes unaware. One thing that can be an invitation is when you dispose of packaging from expensive items outside, crooks are clever enough to look at your garbage on trash day and see if there are any large electronic boxes. Always make sure to cut up your packaging and dispose of it more discreetly.

You should always examine your home and your habits for things that enable a burglar to pull off a successful break-in. The key is to eliminate the opportunities and use the best technology available from a reliable security company.

For home security services at a high standard contact SIS - Security & Investigation Services. They can offer a wide variety of services.

Written By: Christine Romans

How to improve your small business security

If you want your small business to thrive and be successful you need to make sure you take all the necessary precautions to protect your company from criminals. Here are some simple tips to help improve the security of your small business.

  Ø  Secure all important documents
If you own a small business, you will probably be dealing with very important papers on a daily basis. Written documents like lease agreements and tax forms ALWAYS need to be stored in a secure place. The less important documents can always be stored in a normal file cabinet, but the essential documents need to be stored in a fire-proof safe at all time.

  Ø  Shield your computers
We live in the computer age and hackers are always a legitimate threat to your business. Within a matter of minutes or even seconds a skilled computer hacker can attack your entire business. Instead of storing all your important documents on a hard drive or disc, you should consider storing your data on the cloud. As many people already know the cloud is an off-site storage system for electronic data. The typical cloud storage service is known to be very secure.

  Ø  Install an alarm system
A small business is completely defenseless without a high-quality alarm system. Security experts such as SIS – Security & Investigation Services specialize in providing around the clock security for your business or your home. Home security professionals can easily install multiple security sensors within your company’s building. If an intruder tries to break into your business, an alert will be automatically sent to you.

  Ø  Use security cameras
If you have a small business you will benefit greatly from having at least two security cameras on the premises. In the event that someone breaks in or damages your property, the video footage may prove to be extremely valuable. Not only do security cameras provide vital evidence, but the sight of them will scare criminals away.

There is no overlooking the fact that owning a small business requires you to make important decisions and sound judgment. You always need to ensure that your business is safe and secure at all times. These four security measures will certainly help to protect your investment.

Written By: Christine Romans 

The best place to keep your valuables is in a SAFE!

Everyone has those important documents that should and cannot ever be lost. Birth and Death certificates, Estate-planning documents, Life-insurance policies, Savings bonds, Stock certificates and Tax returns are most of the common documents one should be expected to place in a safe. However not every safe serves the same purpose, there is a wide variety of sizes as well as function of safes.

It’s best to decide what your safe is going to be used for and everything you are going to need before you set out to purchase yours. It is advised to determine the average Rand value of the contents. It is not wise to spend the same amount on a safe with a contents worth R5,000 compared to one that’s worth R5,000,000. This is why your budget has to be set out according to the value of its contents.

·         Fire Resistance

        The number 1 concern for most buyers is fire, and whether their valuable would survive extreme heat. The National Fire Protection Association says that there is only a one in four chance that someone would experience a household fire bad enough to call the fire department in an average life time. When rating whether a safe is fire resistant or not, they look at the heat the safe will hold on the inside during a fire. If you are storing paper documents you will look for a safe that doesn’t exceed 350 degrees, Old tape recordings of 35mm slides you will look for a safe that doesn’t exceed 150 degrees and if you are storing Computer disks and DVDs you will look for a safe that doesn’t exceed 125 degrees. A fire tends to move through a house in 20 minutes. Most safes can withstand a fire for about 30 minutes, there are safes that can last longer but they come with w higher price tag.

·         Burglary Protection

        To test whether a safe is burglary-resistant UL testers go at the safes with tools, torches and even explosives. A TL-15 rated safe can withstand and attack for up to 15 minutes using common tools. Most safes don’t carry a very high burglary safety rating but they do have some kind of security. A 1.2 or 1.33 cubic foot safe is heavy and weighs u to 100 pounds without having anything inside it, so it looks less attractive than jewelry, cameras and other small electronics. Many safes also come with bolt down kits which acts as a further deterrent to thieves in a rush. Its best to conceal a safe in a wall of in the floor.

·         Water Resistance

         Most safes come with the added feature of being water proof and are submerged in water to simulate the effects of a flood or broken water line.

Even though Safes are a costly expense, it’s a smart idea to install one or two in your house to keep those important documents and memories you don’t wish to lose because of a small fire, burst pipe or even a robbery. The better you hide your safe from the public the safer your belongings will be.

For safety and security services contact SIS - Security & Investigation Services.

How to teach your kids about home security

If you have a child it is your responsibility to keep them safe, it is also your job to teach them how to follow the proper course of action if they are ever in a dangerous situation. Your children may have never thought about home security because they have never been faced with any potential threats; here is how to teach your kids about home security…

Small Children
It is never too early to teach your child about home security. It is especially important to teach them at a young age if they are often left alone with older siblings or babysitters. Make sure your child knows all these precautions:

       -          Never open the door for someone when an adult is not there.

       -          Refrain from answering the phone when a parent is not home.

       -          Know how to lock all the doors properly in order to keep the home secure.

       -          Know the plan for evacuating the house in the event of a fire or related emergency.

Tweens
Kids these days seem to be using technology at a younger and younger age, this can threaten their security without them even realising. If your child is often active on social media sites, ensure they follow these rules:

      -          Do not post information about where you live or your physical address.

      -          Do not post on Facebook or Twitter or any other social media network that you are home alone.

You should also always show your tween exactly how to use your home security system, make sure they know the code and how to activate and deactivate it.

Adolescents
If you have older children you probably know that they can be very unpredictable and irresponsible, you have to ensure that they know exactly how to use the home security and access control systems. If you want to get them more involved, have them teach their younger siblings about home security and how to use the home security system.

      -          If you have a smartphone and an advanced home security system, learn how to use it with apps.

      -          If you are installing a new home security system, involve your teens son they can understand how everything works.

      -          Make sure they know all the codes and how to activate and deactivate the security system.

If you would like further guidance in teaching your kids about home security, contact SIS –Security & Investigation Services today. They also offer you a wide variety of services from general guarding and farm protection to CCTV off site and alarm monitoring.

Written By: Christine Romans