Friends Of STAR

There are probably more than 25,000 breakins cases reported annually in Malaysia. Most of them happened during holiday season, like Chinese New Year holiday. So what can you do to prevent break-in while you are away:

1. Don't publicize you are on holiday. Do not post this on your Facebook, Twitter or other social media accounts. This is like announcing your holiday in the newspaper for all to read.
2. Stop delivery of your newspapers or have them picked up regularly by a trusted neighbor.
3. Have a trusted person check on your home. This person will, ideally, stop by as often as possible to check for any deliveries that haven't been stopped, water plants, open curtains periodically and even move your car from the garage out into the driveway once in a while. This person also needs to have your cell phone and contact infomation in case they have any questions or concerns while you are gone.
4. Install timers on your indoor and outdoor lights. Keeping lights on inside and outside of your home with timers will make it look like someone's home, or will be soon. Make sure to put at least one light on a programmable timer so some lights can be turned off and on randomly. Programmable timers can be found at most hardware stores for less than RM100. Also installing motion-detectors on your outdoor lights can help deter potential burglars.
5. Advise the police will be gone. Many police departments will check on your home while you're away.
6. Lock all your doors and windows. This may sound obvious, but it's estimated that 28 percent of burglaries occur without using force to gain entry. In other words, they probably entered through an unlocked window or door. Check all of your windows and doors, including the one leading into your home from the garage, and windows in the basement.
7. Secure sliding glass doors. Sliding doors can be forced open by intruders. Placing a metal or wooden rod in the track will prevent this.
8. Remove valuables away from obvious locations. Hide valuables in non-traditional places like outside of the bedroom.
9. Unplug everything you can. Other than the refrigerator, freezer and lights on timers, everything should be unplugged when you're on holiday. This is because the circuits are still active and susceptible to lightning and power surges.

In conclusion, burglary is one of the most preventable of crimes. By taking a few simple precautions you can dramatically reduce the risks of coming home to an unpleasant surprise.

Happy Chinese New Year to all.......