Keeping up with the Joneses

As a crime prevention officer in London I was indirectly asked whether keeping up with the Joneses to improve home security was necessary and even today I get emails essentially asking me the same thing. So what is my reply?

Well, before giving my answer let’s think about it for a moment:

The neighbour has porch lights to illuminate the front door and maybe the place where their car is parked, but you don’t.

The neighbour has a bright red alarm box on the front wall, just above the brightly lit front door, but you don’t.

The neighbour’s installed vertical blinds to the front lounge window, but your curtains are drawn back and all what you possess in the lounge can be seen from the street.

The neighbour has a new secure lockable letterbox fixed to the wall next to their brightly lit front door and yet you still have a letter plate in your front door with the inherent problems they can bring.

The neighbour has one of those smart RING.com doorbells with inbuilt camera, microphone and speaker and yet you have a simple wireless doorbell.

So, have you thought about it?

Out of the two, which house is more likely to be chosen by the burglar?

Unfortunately home security is often like keeping up with the Joneses and yes it is going to cost money in order to keep up.

How much?

• Porch lights with labour £150 - £200
• Alarm system £200 - £800 depending on whether it’s DIY or professionally installed
• Dummy alarm box (while you save for the real thing) £40
• Vertical blinds £100 - £200 depending on the size of the window
• Secure letterbox £150 - £250
• Ring.com doorbell £160

What you spend on your security is going to depend largely on your available budget and where you rank home security. Are you a ‘fill the house up with things and then add the security’ type of person or are you the opposite? After all, the Joneses house may have nothing in it!