Tips and tricks for securing your home while you're away this festive season

Uveka Rangappa speaks to Damian Judge, Sales and Marketing Executive at Trellidor.

Listen below.

There are more break-ins during the festive season than at any other time of the year.

According to Trellidor’s statistics, stand-alone homes and holiday houses are more at risk.

Whether you are staying home or going away, Judge shares tips to help safeguard your home:

• Share your travelling information with neighbours who stay around to keep a lookout.
• Utilise your community to help keep a watchful eye over each other via a WhatsApp group.
• Make sure your tools and valuables are locked away and out of sight.
• Double-check that all your security equipment is fully operational – alarm systems, beams, electric fencing, etc.
• Consider having additional lighting around the house to improve visibility at night for the neighbours or guards checking in.
• Consider creating safe spaces within your home with additional interventions such as a roller shutter separating your living space from the bedrooms.
• Get advice and an overview from a professional

“Every South African citizen has the right to feel safe and you need that right to be shared amongst everyone… Ultimately, we do live in a very special place in terms of the people… We do look out for each other.”

– Damian Judge, Trellidor

“Unfortunately, contact crime is the one area that is on the rise in South Africa, significantly.”

– Damian Judge, Trellidor 

ALSO READ: How fear of crime influences your home security choices

“Something as simple as that little side window that’s never protected is easy access into your garage and suddenly criminals have full access to tools, your vehicle… it’s out of sight and out of mind… professional consultants can pay attention to these things.”

– Damian Judge, Trellidor 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.