| Home security is a mammoth issue, but this is nothing | | | | Fit an electronic surveillance system. This could be a |
| new - it always has been an issue for parents and | | | | monitored or tape set-up. Monitored is the best. An |
| home owners. The issue is that family structure has | | | | added bonus to a surveillance set-up is that you can |
| changed. Not so long ago, people had much larger | | | | be sure what your baby sitter gets up to while you are |
| families and mothers or grandmothers were at home | | | | out too. You can turn it off when you personally are at |
| to look after the kids. With six, eight or even ten | | | | home or just leave the outside cameras on. |
| children in a family, the house was never empty so | | | | Another bonus with a home security system is that |
| burglars did not have a lot of opportunity. There was | | | | you can get a panic button connected to the system's |
| more social solidarity too, so criminals were reluctant to | | | | main external siren and strobe light. If you are attacked |
| steal from their neighbours. So they set upon shops | | | | or concerned, you can activate the alarm by pushing a |
| instead. | | | | button on a device that you can wear around your |
| However, shops and other companies started using | | | | neck. They can also be built into watches and |
| electronic burglar alarms as the prices fell. These | | | | brooches. These personal panic buttons are a good |
| security units were so successful that burglars turned | | | | idea for the elderly and single women providing peace |
| to stealing from people's homes, which is made easier | | | | of mind to those living alone. |
| by the fact that the children are in school and the | | | | A monitored surveillance system will also warn you if |
| parents are at work all day. American federal statistics | | | | your house catches fire while you are asleep or out or |
| indicate that domestic burglaries are up almost ten | | | | if someone is mooching around your backyard. Often |
| percent since 2004. So, what can you do to deter a | | | | the operator of the system will phone the emergency |
| burglar? | | | | services as well after they have gotten in touch with |
| If your home is left empty for a large part of the day | | | | you. |
| because your offspring are at school, nursery or a | | | | A good surveillance system can be used as a |
| baby-sitters' and you are at work, consider getting | | | | bargaining chip with your insurance broker to gain |
| some home help or joining a neighbourhood watch | | | | some hefty discounts on your premium. If you have a |
| scheme. If you had a cleaner coming and going, it | | | | small business that you operate from home, you may |
| would afford some activity to discourage thieves. | | | | be able to off-set some or all of the overheads |
| Joining a neighbourhood watch would convey to your | | | | against your business too and a good home |
| neighbours that you are concerned about security and | | | | surveillance system can increase the selling price of |
| they will keep an eye on your home when you are out. | | | | your house, because it makes it that one step more |
| Get your self a dog too, although be aware that they | | | | comprehensive, like having uPVC doors and windows |
| can be easily poisoned, if the crook has access to | | | | and a timber deck. |
| them.. | | | | |