Last week I was shocked to find out that two homes, on the same day, in my little quiet Cedar Park neighborhood, were burglarized in the middle of the day. Needless to say, the fancy new alarm system my techie husband insisted on installing this summer, is now on in full force.
If you live in North West Austin you may not think you need a home security system. Or if you have one, you may be like me, and not use it consistently. Many of us in Central Texas have a strong sense of security in knowing our neighbors and not hearing about local crime very often. I live in a town with one of the lowest crime rates in America. It's very easy to be too relaxed.
It’s no secret that Austin Metro is growing. With growth frequently comes crime. It’s something communities need to be aware of and work together to prevent – before it becomes a problem. My thinking may be naïve, but I am thinking that if burglars don’t succeed then they won’t continue to attempt to hit a community.
Consider the following in evaluating your home security:
- Does my house look occupied? Do I have blind spots that would allow easy access without being spotted?
- Do I need a house alarm? Is the alarm I have up to date?
- Can the security system I own communicate via cellular service?
- Consider having the alarm monitored. You most likely will receive a large discount on your homeowners insurance for having it monitored. If monitoring expenses are not appealing how about considering having a system that will notify you via a mobile app of any breaches. It is important that as soon as the alarm is tripped someone is notifying the authorities.
- Glass break sensors are a must have; particularly on any large glass doors or downstairs windows large enough to allow entry.
- Strongly consider the value of security cameras. The cost and technology has gotten much better. Burglars will think twice about approaching your home if it holds the possibility of their image being captured.
- If you have an alarm, turn it on consistently. This is where having a mobile app is very useful. Being able to arm and unarm remotely is very valuable.
- Lock all doors and windows, including door from the house into garage.
- Knowing your neighbors, recognizing vehicles that belong, and keeping your home secured are the best detractors of crime. Using a social media, or online community board, to communicate can be very useful.
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