How to Burglar Proof your Home

While burglary rates in Ireland have generally decreased over the last decade, according to recent statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and Phonewatch, it’s still important to be vigilant and secure your home and valuables. Especially during the winter period, if you are away from your home on holidays or if you are going to be away for longer periods of time.

The goal of home security is to make your property a difficult target, encouraging opportunistic thieves to move on. Here is how you can protect your home in 2025. We have 8 recommendations for when you are abroad that will help you upgrade your home security in some simple ways.

Securing Your Home

Since the introduction of Operation Thor in 2015, there has been a sharp decrease in the number of residential burglaries that happen across Ireland, as An Garda Siochana are actively targeting criminal gangs and repeat offenders through coordinated crime prevention, enforcement measures and creating more public awareness.   

However, despite the decrease, there were still over 22,000 residential burglaries  reported during the period from 2022 to 202 to date, with slightly over 40% of these occurring in Dublin. This is why homeowners need to stay vigilant and take some simple actions to better secure their homes, deter would-be thieves and reduce the likelihood of a burglary occurring. 

There are some simple steps you can take to help protect your home, whether you’re inside or going out. We’ll look at some of these in detail below but An Garda Siochana recommend the following: 

• Turn on some lights, LED bulbs are more energy efficient than traditional bulbs.
• Use timer switches / motion detectors / smart lights to turn on lights remotely 
• Use motion detector / sensor lights outside, make sure the lights emanating from them covers the door and not just the area near the door.
• Lock all internal/external doors and windows as part of your regular routine.
• Invest in a home alarm and use it, including getting it serviced and making sure the batteries work.
• Store keys (such as car and house) away from windows and doors.
• Don’t keep large sum of cash, jewellery or other valuables in the house.

Secure Doors and Windows

The majority of burglars enter through the front or rear door, so making sure these are secure is your first line of defence. According to An Garda, access through front and rear doors account for over half of burglary entrances reported. While over 25% of residential burglaries reported an unsecured door or window as the entrance point. 

To minimise your risk, make sure you lock all doors and windows as part of your regular routine.

Security Lighting 

Lights make your home more visible to others, give the impression that your home is occupied and can be an effective deterrent against buglers. When installing securing lighting around your home, here are some things to consider:

• Avoid creating shadows or other dark areas
• Position the light somewhere its out of reach
• Direct the light appropriately
• Consider your neighbours
• Avoid light pollution

Don’t Post on Social Media

If your 500 Facebook ‘friends’ or any Instagram user who can see your public Instagram account know you are over 8,000 miles away in Beijing, you could be leaving yourself open to a planned theft on your home. The power of social media!  

Make it Look Like Someone is Around the House Regularly

Organise a visit from a neighbour or friend while you are away. You could also pay someone to cut the grass on your property while you are away, giving the impression that someone is or has been around. If your post is visible from your front door, consider getting an internal post box to hold any post or get a friend or neighbour to move the post away from the door.

Security Cameras

In today’s digital age, security cameras have become more accessible and easier to install:

Visible Deterrent: Positioning cameras in visible locations can deter potential burglars. The mere camera presence suggests that the property is monitored, making it a riskier target.

Real-time Monitoring: Modern security cameras often integrate smartphones, allowing homeowners to monitor their property in real-time. This feature can be invaluable, especially if you’re away from home.

Smart Doorbells

Video doorbells have had a huge positive impact on home security. They let you see and answer visitors to your front door directly from your smartphone, whether you are in the kitchen or further afield. This gives the strong impression that someone is home or nearby, even when the house is empty.

Timers

A large number of burglaries occur between 4pm and 10pm according to An Garda. Using timers for lights indoors and investing in some motion-sensing lights outside your house can act as a deterrent and make your home look occupied.

Neighbourhood Watch

Community vigilance can be one of the most effective deterrents against burglaries:

• Community Cohesion: A neighbourhood watch programme fosters a community where neighbours look out for one another. This collective vigilance can significantly reduce the risk of burglaries.
• Regular Meetings: Organise regular community meetings to discuss concerns, share security tips, and keep everyone informed about any suspicious activities in the area.

Don’t Hide Spare Key in Obvious Places

Under the flower pot or mat at the backdoor is asking burglars to access your home when you are there or not easily.

Valuables

According to Garda data, things like as tools, hardware, computers, mobile phones, TVs and games consoles are common items that are stolen. Don’t leave bags or valuables in areas of sight while you are away. And avoid attracting unwanted attention by keeping laptops, consoles, computers and expensive equipment out of view if possible.

Car in the Driveway

Providing a presence with a car will deter anyone from snooping around, making it look like somebody is in the house.

KennCo Home Insurance discounts are available for homes that meet a range of criteria:

• No claims bonus: Generous discounts are available up to 30% with 3 year no claims bonus
• A Burglar alarm is fitted in the home
• Smoke detectors: We reward customers who have two or more smoke detectors in their home
• Voluntary excess: We offer voluntary excess options of €500 and €1000 to help customers who might want to reduce their premium. This can be useful if you have had previous claims that might increase your quoted premiums.

KennCo has a Home Insurance policy that is ideal for you no matter your life stage. Keeping your home and belongings safe and secure is what Home Insurance from KennCo will give you. If you need to make a claim, our claims team is here to guide you through what steps to take next.

We have 3 products available:

1. Renters – A Contents Only product ideal for the high volume of people in rented homes in Ireland, which means you can still protect all your possessions. This covers your possessions in your home for theft and/or accidental damage. See all the benefits and additional cover that can be added to your policy here. Request a competitive Contents Only Home Insurance quote here.
   
2. Home Owners – If you are a homeowner looking to insure your home and contents, we offer very competitive quotes with discounts on all quotes. Benefits include family legal protection, extra cover at Christmas and before and after wedding/civil partnership, accidental damage, and more you might not even realise are included. Get a quote from Ireland’s favourite home insurance provider now.  

1. Landlords – We protect your property and loss of rent under our Landlord Insurance with reliable cover specifically tailored for rental properties. This covers fire, perils theft and subsidence, meaning your investment property is fully covered. All features of this policy are available here. Get a quote and see what discounts you have available to you today for your rental property online or by calling us on 014092600.

FAQs