Loving thy neighbour is good for security

The shenanigans of the inhabitants of Wisteria Lane may have done everything to entrench your opinion that it’s best not to know too much about your neighbours, least of all allow them to know too much about you.

But, there’s an upside to knowing your neighbours. And, it’s more about security than it is about being able to pop next door for a few spoonfuls of coffee when you’ve run out of the core ingredient of your morning fix.

“Your neighbours are the closest in proximity to you while you are at home and are the most likely to see or hear suspicious activity or signs that you are in distress. If you have built a friendship with your neighbour and they know enough about you, your family and your habits to notice when things are amiss, they are more likely to report suspicious situations at your property and send out an SOS on your behalf. This could be vital in an emergency or robbery when circumstances may prevent you from calling for help yourself,” says Robyn Farrell, managing director of 1st for Women Insurance Brokers.

“Unfortunately, in this era of high walls and electric fencing, we don’t get the opportunity to see or chat to our neighbours over the fence while checking our mail boxes or pottering around in the garden. Sadly, those days are long gone.

“In this day and age, getting to know your neighbour takes a little more time and effort. However, it is time and effort that will prove well spent should you ever find yourself in an emergency.

“Knowing your neighbours, their habits and the surroundings of your neighbourhood also means that it will be easier for you to spot and report unusual or suspicious people, vehicles or activity. By working together as each other’s eyes and ears, you and your neighbours can do much more to make your neighbourhood a safer place to live.

“So without getting too close for comfort, get to know at least two of your neighbours,” encourages Farrell. There are a few steps you can take to connect with your neighbours and make your street or community safer:

• Take the time to introduce yourself to your closest neighbours and exchange phone numbers. That way they will know who to call when they notice anything strange at your property if you aren’t home. It is also helpful to provide them with the phone number of your personal home security provider so that they can call them should they notice anything suspicious at your home.
• Make sure that you and your neighbours know the contact details of the local SAPS and community patrol service. Emergency numbers should be placed in an easily-accessible part of the house. It is also important that everyone understands the importance of immediately reporting suspicious vehicles, persons and activity to the police and local security company.
• Have an awareness of your neighbours’ daily routines; when they typically leave for work and arrive home; the cars they drive and, whether or not there are children in the home. Encourage them to get to know your habits in the same way. This way, you will recognise immediately if there are strange characters, vehicles or sounds at the property next door.
• Make sure that you and your neighbours are familiar with the routines and comings and goings of each other’s domestic workers. That way you will easily spot when there is someone next door when there shouldn’t be.
• Make sure that you and your neighbours have educated domestic workers and children who are frequently at home alone on basic security measures such as not opening the gate for strangers and reporting suspicious activity.
• Brief your neighbour when you are going to be away on holiday and ask them to be on the lookout for anything suspicious while you are gone. However, make sure that your neighbour does not share your travel plans with anyone else as this could backfire and make your home a target.
• If you know your neighbour well enough and you feel comfortable with them entering your home while you are away on holiday, ask them to regularly collect your post and switch on lights in your house to make it appear as though you are home.