HOME SECURITY – BEAT THE BURGLAR

Burglary in cyprus.  When do burglaries happen?
 
Most domestic burglaries take place in the hours of daylight or early evening while you are out. Business premises are usually burgled during the night when they are unattended for specific goods. The chances of the Police recovering stolen property are very slim and insurance companies will not normally pay out for three months!!.
 
There are many desperate people living in Cyprus who want what you have, many criminals have moved here from Spain, since homes are generally easy to break into here and the chances of being caught are less.

WHO ARE THE BURGLARS?

Most thieves are not big time criminals, mainly young men between 15 years and 25 years, they use women and children to help them and it is fair to say that they are professional. They are cunning, they spot easy targets, they know just what to steal, and they know how to dispose of it. They come from all over Europe including UK and they live here!!! The general myth in Cyprus is (a) there is no crime (b) all crimes are committed by drug addicts. Crimes against property are increasing!
 
HOUSE THEFT IN PAPHOS

Whilst there are more and more drug addicts in Cyprus so there are more professional thieves moving into Cyprus from Europe legally. Not just the Russian Pontians, there are Slovakian, Czech, Poles, Hungarians, Slovenians and British thieves. An active criminal will be active wherever he is! It is now easier for these people to come to Cyprus and remain here committing crime to live, everybody knows someone who has been a victim.
 
WHAT DO THEY STEAL?
 
From homes mainly cash, jewellery, credit cards, cheque books, passports, drinks, cameras, power tools and small electrical goods. Businesses – whatever the business stocks, as they have deliberately targeted the premises for those goods.
 
What happens when they get in?  Once inside your premises they will commit untold damage trying to steal property. They are usually in a very nervous keyed up state and sometimes will defecate anywhere in your house. They are usually cowards but can be dangerous, they want what you have and are determined to get it!
 
CONSIDE YOUR HOME SECURITY
 
Look at the property and think, if I were locked out how would I get in? Then think if I were a thief how would I get in? What can I see worth stealing?
 
THINK ABOUT THE COST OF IMPROVING SECURITY AGAINST THE COST OF REPLACING PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS IF STOLEN! BUILD IN LAYERS OF SECURITY (ONION PEEL EFFECT)

OUTSIDE! - GARDEN SECURITY IN CYPRUS

Outbuildings and gardens – Your outbuildings, garage, shed etc, contain valuable goods. Power tools, gardening equipment, your vehicle, bicycles, yacht/dinghy, sports gear etc, are usually kept in outbuildings and are worth a considerable amount of money. There are also things in your outbuildings to aid a burglar i.e. ladders and tools - a garden spade, for example, can be used to lever out a sliding patio door!

How much is the contents of your outbuildings worth?
 
Don’t leave tools and unattended bicycles about they are an invitation to a thief. Fit good quality locks to doors and windows, chain up tools, bicycles and ladders.
 
keep the thieves out with thorny hedges in cyprusYour garden is a barrier between your property, your neighbour, and the highway. High fencing, walls and spiky hedging can act as a deterrent but once the thief is behind a high fence it can hide his presence and allow him to work undetected.
 
You have to make a judgement, is your perimeter a good deterrent or an asset to the thief. If the perimeter may aid the thief, reduce the height so that anyone in your garden may be seen.
 
LIGHTING
 
Consider installing security lighting, either to permanently light the outside area or operated by PIR’s that will detect movement during the hours of darkness. Burglars do not like lit areas, PIR activated lighting is more economical as it will only come on when activated, it will also help to alert neighbours.
 
YOUR HOME

Whether or not it is your main residence or a holiday home, the premises and its contents represent a considerable financial investment to you!
 
keep you home safe in cyprusThe easiest access to the property is obviously doors and windows and they need to be made as secure as possible. Have a spy hole in the door and a door chain. Never allow anyone into your home unless you know who the person is. Always fit good quality locks to doors and windows, consider additional deadlocks. 33% of all burglaries are through insecure doors and windows

ALWAYS LOCK DOORS/WINDOWS WHEN YOU GO OUT AND REMOVE THE KEYS!
 
SHUTTERS
 
Many developers are fitting steel shutters to properties and they are quite effective in assisting your general security deterrent. They also advertise to a burglar that no-one is at home, they can be breached using leverage and once in the thief will help himself.
 
INTRUDER/BURGLAR ALARMS/CCTV -  CCTV IN CYPRUS

Should your outer layer of security be breached a burglar can help himself, if an alarm is fitted it will give an audible alarm scaring the thief away and alert neighbours. (If a dialler is fitted to the alarm it will telephone and warn of the attack). Should this occur most burglars will run away, leaving property and forensic evidence behind.
 
CCTV is not a cheap option  and if considered should be used with an Alarm System since a burglar could enter and steal the whole CCTV sytem. CCTV is better considered for use in businesses and vulnerable premises that are unattended for long periods. Remember CCTV is not cheap, if it is then it is most likely rubbish !!
 
CCTV /Alarm systems come in many different makes and many different prices. Some systems will appear to be very good value at a very cheap price but are usually of poor quality made in China and will not last.  They are often DIY products which are being offered as professional equipment, this equipment will only survive for about 12 to 18 months.  Even some so called 'professional' British Companies offer this rubbish and when things go wrong refuse to return and put things right OR they have completely disappeared.
 
Our alarms/CCTV are reliable and will give years of service.  They are not cheap but are not the most expensive either - they are tried and tested in the Cyprus climate too.
 
We honour all our commitments to our clients - if we say we will do something within our agreement with you - we WILL do it! Why?  We want happy clients who are happy with our service and equipment.  We have a good name and we want to keep it. 8 out of 10 burglars in the UK have stated that they will avoid a house with an alarm system
 
INSTALLATION COMPANIES - there are many companies installing alarm now some good , most at best average. If you have lived here for any length of time you will realise , that you don`t always get what you pay for. We are a reliable , honest, properly registered company.
 
Additional Suggestions
 
Consider installing plug-in timer switches to switch on lights or a radio in your absence, have a neighbour park on your driveway, ask them to visit and check the property. Make sure that they know when you will be away, when you return, give them a contact telephone number, ensure that they know who should be there, gardener, pool cleaner etc. Consider a good quality fire proof safe, fixed to the property, to keep your valuables in as a last line of defence. A safe is a good place to keep your important documents and keys.
 
DOGS – Most people believe that a dog is a good deterrent against thieves. It is true that a dog may deter some burglars and dogs can also give warnings of intruders. However they can also be “bought off” with food or drugs and may even be killed.
 
PROPERTY MARKING – Consider using “invisible security markers” to mark property with your name and address. Special valuables, antiques etc, should be photographed against a ruler (to establish its size).
 
CATALOGUE all items of value, make a note of their serial number, model, make, value etc. This will help you in making an assessment of the cost of the items when you insure them.
 
INSURANCE IN CYPRUS

NSURANCE – Always insure your home contents and make sure that you upgrade your valuations each year to take into account any increases in replacement costs. Do keep receipts for purchases as some insurance companies will request them if you are burgled.