As a student, I lived for half a year in a caravan. One weekend, I was visiting my parents, and I received a phone call. The caravan was a ravage. The cause: burglars. I never felt so unsafe in my life. That’s the reason why I write this blog. So let’s start to make your house in the Netherlands burglar-safe.
Facts
First some facts.
– In 2020 more than 39,000 houses were visited by burglars in the Netherlands.
– Villas and social renting houses are favourites.
– The waste container is used a lot to climb on roofs.
– Burglary takes place the most between 3-7 pm at the weekends.
– On average, they only need 30 seconds to access a house.
– You can check the crime rates in your neighbourhood on politie.nl and look for “misdaadcijfers”.
Prevention
Preventing burglary is always the best way to keep your house safe in the Netherlands. Time is costly for burglars. So let’s make it difficult for them.
Light
Do you have a light with the sensor at the back door? And can the neighbours see the door?
In the winter, people love to visit each other. Sometimes you will see a completely dark house, then you know that nobody is at home. We use a timer to prevent this. Also useful, when you enjoy your holidays.
Hinges and locks
When I was young, I lived in a rural area. It was normal that you could just walk into the back door, open it and call the people you know. The doors weren’t locked at all. It was not necessary, because it was safe.
Nowadays, I live in Eindhoven. And I am very keen on locking all doors and windows when I leave the house.
Use the locks at your home as they are meant. Going away for a moment? Always lock doors and windows. And remove keys on the inside of the locks.
A way to check hinges and locks is by checking on this quality mark:
Politiekeurmerk veilig wonen (PKVW)
Some new houses have this quality mark. It is an official label that your house is safer to burglars than a normal house. And in some cases, you can get a discount on your house insurance. Every few years this PKVW needs to be renewed.
Check hinges and locks on the SKG-Label
Another way to check the quality of your hinges and locks is: to search for the SKG label. You find it on the product itself.
The meaning of this label is:
1 star – only burglar resistant in combination with other measures
2 stars – 3 minutes burglar resistant
3 stars – 5 minutes burglar resistant
Don’t forget to check the domes on the roof. This can also be easy access for burglars.
Other measures
– Single glass in a window? Change it to double glass if possible.
– Make sure you can look at who is at your front door.
– What will you do when you lose your keys? How will you access your own house? That is also the way burglars can access your house in the Netherlands.
– Neighbourhood. Some neighbourhoods have a shared WhatsApp account, where they can let each other know if they see something unexpected.
– Tell your neighbours when you are on holiday and ask if they want to keep an eye on your house.
– If you see anything suspicious, call the police. 112 in urgent situations and 0900-8844 in less urgent matters. Don’t hesitate. My experience is that they are friendly, and take you seriously. I even got feedback on what happened on the report.
Alarm systems
In some cases, an alarm system can be a good solution. Especially, when you are travelling a lot or have a high-value collection of guitars. Keep in mind that there are monthly costs involved.
Camera
You can also choose a camera or a dummy camera. There are rules involved in this situation. You are only allowed to film your own belongings. More information and rules? Check this website.
Conclusion
To keep burglars out, and keep your house safe in the Netherlands, you need to make it hard to access your house. This you do by locking your house when you are gone, using good locks and hinges. Also, make use of light.
When you renovate your house, this is the time for improvements. Make your house burglar safe.
Need help with renovating your house? Don’t know where to start and end? Let’s help you start. Just send a message, or download the guide house renovation for free here.
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