Tips + Advice

Protecting Your Home

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home. Being burgled can leave people feeling vulnerable and it can have devastating financial and emotional impacts.

​

Although burglary rates have been trending down over the past few years, burglary remains one of the crimes people are most likely to experience.

​

Thieves and burglars will take every chance they can to get what they are after - this includes entering your house if they know you are working in the back yard or busy in the garage. Most burglaries happen between 10am – 3pm, when people tend to be out.

There are three important things that you can focus on to protect your home and property:

• LOCKS

• LIGHTS

• LINES OF SIGHT
   

Here’s a checklist for protecting your property...

​

LOCKS:

• Secure locks & fastenings on windows & doors.

• All windows & doors shut & secured when you are out.

• Sheds & garages have secure locks.

• Spare keys kept in a safe place inside (not under a pot or door mat).

LIGHTS:

• Entrance ways well lit. 

• Sensor lights installed & turned on.

LINES OF SIGHT:

• Entrance ways not obscured, so that it is easy to see who is coming & going.

• Trees & hedges trimmed.

• Fences & gates secure.

• Valuables out of sight from windows & doors.
   

​

Going Away?

• Mail & deliveries put on hold, or a neighbour arranged to collect them.

• Create the illusion that someone is home.

• ​Trusted neighbours informed you will be away.

• Alert your alarm company to let them know you’ll be away.

Click here for more tips on keeping your home safe while away. 

Reporting a Burglary:

• Dial 111 if a crime is happening.

• Dial 105 if the crime has happened.

• Or report online at police.govt.nz/use-105.