It is not only during the dark season that the number of burglaries increases. Over the years, burglaries are generally on the rise and this is reason enough that the burglary protection in the house or apartment should be increased. Theft protection does not always have to be realized by an alarm system. Burglars can also be deterred with other measures. One of them is light. This is less complicated than often assumed.
What deters burglars?
Burglars are deterred by several things. The bottom line is they don’t want to be discovered. If a house is lonely, if it is difficult to see or if hardly any people pass by, this is an invitation for burglars. Light, noise and people, on the other hand, are a deterrent. The location of a house cannot be changed. But the burglar can be deterred by light. Interior lighting makes the house look busy, and exterior lighting makes it easy for burglars to be seen. One combination is considered particularly promising.
The outdoor lighting
Outdoor lighting is most often implemented with a motion detector. A burglar walking past it triggers the motion detector. In doing so, the risk of being discovered increases. Especially in the case of attentive neighbors, the danger is great that a sudden light at an unexpected time, this alert and the burglar is seen. In addition, the attempted burglary is detected more quickly in the light. Burglars know this and therefore avoid such objects. Whether the light is triggered by a motion detector or burns permanently is not relevant. However, the lighting should not be too bright, because it can disturb neighbors. Especially with LED lighting, the light cone is clearly delineated and care can be taken during installation not to shine on neighboring houses. In addition, dim lighting can be just as much of a deterrent as bright lighting.
Perfectly secured with video monitored property ©Alex | Fotolia
The timer
Both indoor and outdoor lighting can be operated with a timer. This should be programmed differently. Most buildings are spied out before entry is made. A circuit that is always the same is quite recognized when the house is observed. In this way, the burglar lowers his risk of being discovered. In addition to exterior lighting, interior lighting controlled by the timer can be a particular deterrent. Thus, the house looks animated even in the absence of residents, and so it seems that someone is at home. Especially with these circuits, attention should be paid to different and “logical” intervals. It is far less believable that the lights are always on from midnight to three in the morning than when the lights are turned off at 11 pm. In addition, most burglars do not enter at night. At night, the occupants are usually in the house and the burglar doesn’t want to get caught, so he gets in during the day or evening. Therefore, the timer should also be activated during the day, then when the residents are out of the house and the burglar should be deterred.
Apps to control the lighting
In addition to monitoring the house with the help of an app, the lights in and around the house can also be controlled with an app. This provides the protection as the light does not need to be switched on a schedule. Also, many apps show when the lights are on at home. If the burglar switches on the lighting, this is detected and displayed. Therefore, through the light can also control the house. These apps offer many possibilities and are very versatile in burglary protection. But not every apartment has a “smart home” system installed. There are also apps that report an opening of the door and thus provide more security.
Dummy or not? This alarm system scares off in everyone ©Marina Lohrbach | Fotolia
Anti-theft device – it should be versatile
Light alone is not enough to deter burglars. It is much more the interplay of various factors. Attentive neighbors are still a very good protection. Especially during a vacation, it is important that the mailbox is emptied and the house looks inhabited from the outside. In winter, snow should be shoveled, and in the summer – water the flowers. Thus, from the outside you can not tell that the residents are on vacation. Noise in the form of an alarm system or a dog is a deterrent. Especially large dogs or noisy dogs also alert the neighbors. A house that is easy to see also looks less attractive to burglars. Therefore, the planting of the plot can also be optimized according to the safety aspect. Homes that look monitored from the outside, such as by a camera or a dummy camera, are also a better deterrent to burglars. When using a camera, however, care should be taken to ensure that it does not film the neighboring property or public land. Neighbors should also be informed so that there are no misunderstandings or neighbors thinking they are being spied on.
By following these tips, lighting can add up with many other small factors to make living areas safer.
Image credits Cover image: LED spotlight ©embeki | Fotolia
