How the Rich Protect their Homes

Burglars are more likely to target a home if they believe that they will get high rewards for their “investment”. This is to say, they will consider the difficulty of breaking into a property alongside the value of the goods that they expect to get away with. This is a risk-reward choice for the criminals.

A thief will be most likely to target a house where they know that occupant has high value goods if they also think that it will be easy to get in and out of the house without being caught. Although thieves assume that houses belonging to richer people will offer a higher reward, richer people can seek to offset the risk of being targeted by increasing the difficulty level for people who are trying to break in. As well as using standard alarm systems to protect their homes, wealthy homeowners also have a range of additional options available to them. Here are some of the strategies that rich people can use to reduce their chances of becoming the victim of burglary.

Secure the Perimeter

Securing the perimeter of the property is the first step for rich people who are seeking to prevent criminals from accessing their homes. A high fence or wall will make it much harder for criminals to get into the grounds of the home. They are also great for celebrities because they will help to prevent fans or the media from intruding on the privacy of the household. Any gates in the perimeter wall or fence should be kept shut and locked at all times to reduce the chances of any unauthorised personnel slipping in.

CCTV

Criminals are less likely to break into a house that is protected by CCTV or which is in an area where CCTV is prevalent. CCTV should start at the perimeter of the property. An overt CCTV system will dissuade most opportunist thieves from attempting to scale the wall or fence. A second layer of CCTV can be installed around the property itself. The more cameras that there are in the system, the more likely it is that one of the cameras will be able to pick up identifying features of the criminals. Certain regulations govern the usage of CCTV by private owners, so new owners are advised to get a specialist installation expert to set the system up correctly.

Security Detail

Very wealthy people are able to hire a security detail to protect them and their family from crime. Most celebrities will hire a security company or property management services to look after their home whilst they are away. The presence of someone at the property is normally enough to dissuade opportunist thieves, but the presence of trained personnel also acts to dissuade all but the most determined criminals.

Guard Dogs

Guard dogs may be used in conjunction with security guards. These dogs are trained to make a loud noise if they detect unknown people in the grounds of the property. For legal reasons, guard dogs should be trained not to bite people who have intruded in the grounds of the property; however they are able to use their physicality to keep criminals in a corner until back-up arrives. Guard dogs are able to use their sense of smell to track down intruders who are trying to hide in dark corners, so they are a great tool for security guards who are aware that someone is in the property but they are unsure where those intruders are. These dogs tend to be larger, aggressive breeds which are intimidating to a lot of people. The presence of guard dogs can help to scare off a lot of criminals. Putting up a guard dog warning sign on the perimeter wall or fence can help to alert potential intruders to the fact that there may be guard dogs patrolling the grounds.

Panic Room

A panic room can be the last line of defence for people if the property is breached. These rooms are made of special materials and are reinforced so that it is almost impossible to gain access to the room. In the event that an intruder enters the property, the occupants of the house can go quickly to the panic room and stay there until assistance is able to arrive. The room will normally contain communication equipment to allow the occupants to contact the police or their own security contractors. A panic room may also include essential tools such as a torch, a first aid kit and provisions in case the family are forced to spend a while in the room. Although the panic room cannot be used to safeguard the majority of the person’s possession, it can be used to help to protect the family from potentially violent intruders.