A House and Home promotion
Ciaran O'Connell was a trained mental health counsellor with over 35 years experience in senior management in the building industry, when he set up Zentry Advanced Security Solutions in 2007. Originally set up to provide a confidential service for those echoing Garda Crime Prevention Officers in saying that home reinforcement with physical security solutions (like stronger doors, locked windows, an effective alarm system) is vital to secure the home against burglaries.
Zentry assess clients' vulnerable entry points, and determines the most appropriate, and most unobtrusive, measures available to keep would-be burglars out. We chatted to Ciaran about everything you need to know about home security, and how to keep up with changing means of protecting your home.
1. What are the biggest mistakes people make when looking at their home security?
"Your home is the one place in the world where you should feel secure – yet for many in Ireland this is not the case. Surprisingly many pro-active homeowners contact an alarm/CCTV company or friends/acquaintances as their first port-of-call for home security advice. However, in many instances responses are biased or misinformed and as has been highlighted by Garda Crime Prevention Officers on Crimecall, introducing better physical security i.e. stronger doors/ windows/locks and glazing to reinforce the property is as important as having an alarm system."
2. Has there been a change in recent years in how burglars are targeting homes?
"In past years the unoccupied house was the target but now one in every three break-ins is in to an occupied home meaning that in order to safeguard occupants, reinforcement of the vulnerable entrance points is vital. Also, we are now aware that in over 90% of cases, burglars will already know if the house is occupied or not and will have decided how they will leave the house before entering.
Therefore, getting in or out through a door will always be a burglar's preference. If there is an alarm, entering through a door provides a head start before the alarm actually triggers. Although locks on doors are important, the strength of the door frame housing the locked door is critical. Standard PVC or Composite front and back door manufacturers have consistently neglected this key area and if you are thinking of replacing your doors, ideally they should be timber-faced steel-reinforced security doors, meeting European Burglary Resistant standard I.S. EN 1627:2011, as these contain a galvanised steel frame and have been subjected to resistance testing."
3. I have a standard house alarm. Is this not enough anymore?
"Alarms and CCTV systems are called perimeter security and the aim here is that the systems employed will notify us when a burglar is about to or has already entered the building. Within 26 EU member states, alarms are considered as secondary to proper physical security measures."
4. What are the most common causes of break-ins/ways people break-in?
"Entrance doors and downstairs windows are the most vulnerable points of entry in the home."
5. Are there areas of the home that are often neglected when it comes to security?
"First floor windows that can be accessed from an adjoining roof. Install lights in all outside entrances. You could consider sensor lighting but make sure it’s not the type that switches on every time someone walks by your house. If there is a safe in the house, it is really worthwhile considering having a secure door fitted to this room to delay the burglar."
6. Are security systems just for the exterior of my home or do I need to worry about inside as well?
"When the home is unoccupied, once you deal with the exterior there is no need to worry about the inside. Furthermore, it is not uncommon to find locked internal doors badly damaged during a break-in and so it is best to follow Garda advice not to lock internal doors."
7. Are there any sure signs your home is an easy target from the outside that people should address immediately?
"An unlit house with no car in the driveway is an open invitation to thieves. If you are leaving the house for the evening you could turn on the TV FLASH Simulator Burglar Deterrent Home Security Device and also leave a light or two on – both of these make it look like someone is home. Dispose of new appliance packaging carefully - don’t leave the box outside your house. If you are away, get a friend or neighbour to turn on lights and close the curtains in the evening. Don’t leave any valuables such as cash or jewellery lying around or hidden in obvious places. Make sure they are securely stored."
8. What are the steps people should take if they have been broken into?
"People are generally in a state of shock when this happens and so (particularly when valuables have been taken) the first step should be to contact a recommended Insurance Claims Consultant. A good professional here will help guide you in contacting the Gardaí."
For more information about Zentry Advanced Security Solutions, visit their website.
