Well, that’s alarming!
Budget Direct surveyed 1000 people across Australia to get a better understanding of their attitudes and behaviours towards home security. Below are the findings of this survey.
Australian home security statistics
1 in 5 respondents said
Someone had broken into or attempted to break into their home
1 in 3 respondents said
They have home security installed in their house
24% of respondents said
They installed home security after being burgled
Expert Security Advice
Jeremy Stewart, VP Global Marketing Swann Communications
About 60% of the burglars indicated that the presence of an alarm would make them seek out an alternative target altogether.[1]
When it comes to choosing the best home security system for your home, we suggest you start by thinking like a burglar! Look at your home from the roadside, and count the potential entry points. This will give you an idea of how many cameras you will need.
Then decide on whether you want to have a system that uses your home’s internet/ Wi-Fi connection or not. Decide whether you want to hardwire a system into your house, or have a totally wireless camera.
We recommend choosing a CCTV system that has heat and motion-sensing to generate push notifications and video recording when activity is detected. In that way you have a better chance of preventing unwanted activity while also capturing video evidence at the same time.
Finally, what is your budget? You are now ready to do your research to find the system to meet your needs.
[1] The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology
Australian attitudes & behaviours
35% Of respondents said
They have left a spare key outside their home
47% Of respondents said
A “Guard Dog” sign would deter a burglar
58% Of respondents said
They often allow couriers to leave online purchases at their front door
36% Of respondents said
A fake security camera would be enough of a deterrent for burglars
Expert Security Advice
Evan Comb, Director Adeva Security
A deterrent is better than nothing, but I would suggest the real deal if an actual security incident occurs.
For example, on Australia day we had one of our CCTV cameras capture an assault and carjacking incident.
At our Perth branch, our camera was able to record the incident, in which two women were attacked by strangers who then proceeded to steal their vehicle and flee the scene.
The Perth police reviewed the footage captured by our CCTV system and successfully identified the suspects, leading to multiple arrests. While having a deterrent is better than nothing, 'real deal' security products can prevent crime from occurring, or in this instance, prevent it from happening again.
Barriers to home security
We asked:
What is your primary reason for not installing home security?
Can't afford it
My home is secure enough
I have a dog
Sounds too complex
I live in a safe area
Unnecessary expense
Expert Security Advice
Shelley Robins, Director Mangocam
With today’s abundance of wireless CCTV options, for the cost of a meal out, you can purchase a fully working wireless IP camera.
Recording from the cameras will set you back the cost of a couple of coffees a month. Lead in units can be found for almost the same cost as a fake unit.
In the majority of cases, home security installations are very reliable. Internet security cameras are competitively priced and are affordable for a range of budgets. The ease of ‘Plug and Play’ technology means that virtually anyone can set them up.
We suggest that you select a recommended unit, one that you have purchased in Australia. This isn’t just to buy local, but also to allow you to speak with local providers for warranty and assistance issues and also to make sure that the units have met minimum electrical safety standards, such as C-tick. There are many products on the market that do not have these certifications and can pose a fire risk.
Homeowners vs Renters
A side-by-side comparison between homeowners and renters on their attitudes and behaviours towards home security and home insurance.
Have experienced a break-in?
Have home security installed?
Leave a spare key outside?
Think that a fake camera is enough of a deterrent?
Think that a “guard dog” would deter a burglar?
Think that owning home security
can affect home insurance
Have contents insurance
Expert Security Advice
Brad Hales, National Marketing Communications Manager Uniden
Whether owning or renting a property, increasing home security should always be a consideration.
There are a number of affordable DIY home security options that are a simple plug in and play set-up. These units can be easily moved from one property to another if users are renting or thinking of buying. Depending on the size of the house or apartment, single use cameras can be used rather than installing a larger surveillance system. These cameras are portable, affordable and offer great features to monitor the home day and night. They can also be accessed remotely while you’re away from home. Wire-free battery operated security cameras are becoming more popular and are ideal for renters, as they can be easily moved between properties and require no professional installation.
Most apartments include security doors, but this doesn't necessarily mean the unit is secure. Units can easily be accessed via balconies near the ground level and unauthorised guests walking through the complex’s main entrance can also pose a risk. Purchasing a single use camera to keep watch on the unit's front door or balcony will help to deter unwanted visitors and provide additional security on top of what is already included in the building complex.
Attitudes towards home & contents insurance
We asked:
Do you have contents insurance?
We asked:
Do you think owning a home security system would affect the price of your home insurance?
We asked:
Are you confident that your contents insurance would adequately cover your possessions in the event of theft?
22%
9%
Expert Insurance Advice
Chris Jarrett, General Manager Home Claims & Assessing Budget Direct
The question that comes to mind for me isn’t: ‘can I afford to have contents insurance?’, but rather ‘can I afford not to have contents insurance?’
Larger theft claims are more likely to occur when residents are away on holiday or if the home is vacant for a period of time. While most stolen items are small, they are usually quite expensive; jewellery and electronic devices such as iPads, mobile phones and game consoles are easy targets for burglars.
Keep in mind that an insurer will likely ask for evidence of ownership for any stolen items being claimed. Therefore, it can speed up the process if you have retained receipts and/or pictures of the items. For jewellery claims, valuations and pictures can be very helpful in settling the claim quickly.
Installing some types of security alarms may affect the price of contents insurance. They may also reduce the cost of theft risk too.
In the 0 seconds you have been viewing this page a burglar could have picked 0 locks.
Source: https://recordsetter.com/world-record/pick-open-master-lock-no-37/41078
About the survey
We surveyed over 1000 people across Australia to get a better understanding of their attitudes and behaviours towards home security.
Want to see more?
If you are interested in seeing all the data of this survey please contact our Digital PR Manager: Reveal email address