SECURE NOW! CAMPAIGN

This year the school holidays and ANZAC Day provide an extended period of theft for criminals.  But there are simple and practical ways to make your home more secure.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, April 14th 2008 – It’s something that is always in the back of our mind, nagging us, never letting us forget that our home is not as secure as it could be.

With the Easter weekend and the school holidays disconnected this year, security organisations are concerned that more households than usual will fall victim to break-in and theft.

Chubb Home Security General Manager Deborah O’Connor said that a home security system is an important item to have in home security, but there are many other ways of making your home safer.  She has some practical tips for every householder to be more secure these holidays:

“The problem is that many people make their homes less secure by ignoring some of the less obvious entry points used by intruders such as little bathroom windows, tilt windows, the back door and gates, said Ms O’Connor.  “These should be locked every time you leave the house”.

Ms O’Connor said that the up-coming public holiday like ANZAC Day  can be a peak period of home intrusion, according to Police crime statistics.  “The family home can be unoccupied with people visiting friends and family, making the holiday period the crooks’ busy time of year”

Another practical way to fortify your home against intrusion is motion-activated lights at the approaches to the house and on inside lights to give the impression that there is someone at home.

Junk mail and regular post build up when people are away, so having someone collect your mail or arranging it to be held at the post office is another way of taking down the ‘welcome criminals’ sign outside your home.

Deborah O’Connor believes that people are one of the best defences against crime.  “I encourage people to talk with their neighbours, get involved in Neighbourhood Watch and generally watch out for each other, she said.  “Vigilance in all areas of security is important and it’s about making your place the one that they pass by”.

Chubb always emphasises the importance of reporting all crimes to the Police.

With the rate of home intrusions and break-ins still high, more and more Australians are looking at installing some form of home security system for their homes.

But householders are confronted by a mind-numbing array of security solutions, some of which are beyond the average person’s budget.

Think of security systems and many people imagine expensive and elaborate sensors shooting invisible beams across a room, powerful floodlights outside, high-tech security cameras - and when they go off, the siren can be heard from one end of the street to the other.

What many people do not know is that modern home security systems have changed a lot over the years.

The preferred solution is monitoring.  When someone breaks into your home, it triggers an alarm at a monitoring station, where the officers alert you, the police and whoever else is on your list.

One example of this is by the security company Chubb, who has recently launched a user-friendly monitoring system for householders at a low price.

As part of its Secure Now! campaign, Chubb has developed a system designed for renters, apartments, small homes, first home owners and shared accommodation.  It is even relocatable.

Moreover, it is also a radio for your home, making it a security system that you can listen to.

Chubb Australasia is part of UTC Fire & Security, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) business unit, which provides fire safety and security solutions to more than one million customers around the world. UTC Fire & Security is headquartered in Connecticut, USA.

For more information on home security products click here