Having your home burgled is unsettling. Here are some key ways to improve your home security and help burglar-proof your home.
Property
Safest places to keep your keys to avoid losing them
Losing your keys happens more often than you think, but there are steps you can take to avoid losing or misplacing them and to keep your home safe and secure.
Many people have experienced misplacing or losing their keys at least once in their lives. It's the reason why a safe and effective back-up plan is important.
Hiding a spare key under a rock or similar outdoor location is inadvisable because it can compromise your home's security: it's one of the first places opportunistic burglars will check. It's also unwise to break into your own house if you've forgotten or lost your key because of the risk of personal injury and costly house repairs.
The best solution is to stay calm and contact a qualified and licensed locksmith.
To avoid getting into this situation, here are some useful tips on how to keep your keys safe and protect your home from thieves.
Keeping your home and car keys safe
Melbourne's hotspots for lost keys
Losing or misplacing your keys is a common occurrence. During the 2023/24 financial year, RACV Trades organised locksmiths to attend between 240 and 370 jobs every month across Victoria for lockouts and urgent-access lock repairs.
Demand for emergency locksmith services was highest in the Melbourne suburbs of Tarneit, Glen Waverley, Point Cook, Truganina and Mount Waverley.
“It happens to a lot of people, and you can get help through our Emergency Home Assist service anytime, 24 hours a day, if you’re locked out of your house or require urgent-access lock repairs,” says RACV Senior Product Manager for Trades Nathan Tayeh.
“Most locksmith callouts are attended within a couple of hours. There’s no need to try to break into your home; that’s when things can go wrong. You may end up requiring window or door repairs, and even injure yourself. A qualified locksmith has the skills and equipment to assist you without damaging your lock or door.”
Along with the RACV 24/7 emergency locksmith service – call 13 46 63 – you can book a local locksmith through RACV Trades to help with common repairs and maintenance around the house.
Keeping your keys away from windows, where they can be seen by opportunistic thieves.
What’s the safest place to keep my keys?
A welcome mat, pot plant or a fake rock near the door are often the first places a burglar looks, in the hope that there's a hidden key under there that will provide access to your home.
The safest thing to do is to leave a spare key with a trusted neighbour or family member, as recommended by Victoria Police and Neighbourhood Watch.
You should also be cautious about where you leave your keys inside. An unusual spot that's known only to you and is situated well away from windows is preferred. Don't leave your keys in obvious places like on the kitchen bench, in a bowl that's easily spotted or hanging from a hook next to a door.
Even when you’re home you should keep your doors locked and secure your windows. Victoria Police says unlocked side and rear doors and windows are the most common entry points for burglars, who only need a few moments to sneak inside and steal key items – such as your house and car keys.
Garages are also a hotspot for burglary entry, especially as many Victorians don’t keep their garage doors closed or well maintained. If you have an access door to the house in the garage, that should be locked too.
A key safe – a strong storage box with a keycode – is a popular way of storing a spare key but it’s important to make sure you install your key safe in a discreet area that can’t be seen from the street.
More: Key safe security and theft prevention for homes and apartments
Get a key safe securely installed in a discreet place to minimise the risk of theft. Image: Getty
What are thieves targeting at my house?
Burglary remains a significant problem in the community. Almost 20,000 burglary or break-and-enter offences at private dwellings in Victoria were recorded for the year ending June 2024, according to police data compiled independently by the state’s Crime Statistics Agency
The items stolen over that period were valued at more than $104 million, mostly jewellery, cash, power tools, computers, phones and other personal property items, but also pets, clothing, furniture, photographic equipment, sporting goods and other unusual things.
Neighbourhood Watch says most house break-ins are carried out by opportunistic thieves looking for a situation that's low risk but high in reward, so taking away the opportunity and keeping your home and belongings safe is critical.
How can I improve my home security?
Deadlocks are recommended for all external doors and windows. But if you do have deadlocks installed, remember to disengage them when you’re inside so that you can safely escape in the event of a fire.
It is also a good idea to change the locks when you buy a home or if you lose your key somewhere outside the home.
You may want to consider home security systems, such as security cameras, an alarm system or the use of smart-home technology to secure your home. Modern alarm and CCTV solutions have apps available to control your security system from your smartphone.
The How Safe is My Place app is a useful way of determining how safe your home is from burglary and what you can do to improve overall security. The augmented reality app was developed by Neighbourhood Watch and RACV to help people assess how safe they are, identify risks and deter thieves.
More: How to improve the security of your driveway or carport
Will a smart lock keep me safe at home?
Smart locks allow you to access your home by using your smartphone intead of a key. Experts say that a smart lock should be just as secure as a traditional lock and will notify you of any activity at the door, plus you get data about when household members are entering or leaving the home via the app.
If you’re interested in smart home systems, make sure you do your homework to safeguard against digital attacks. Find out what security protocols the manufacturer has in place to protect your network and personal information.
An accredited and licensed locksmith can help you install the best door locks.
How do I find a qualified professional locksmith?
All locksmiths with RACV Trades are accredited, licensed and committed to meeting high-quality industry standards.
Like electricians and plumbers, a locksmith does a four-year apprenticeship, gaining a Certificate III of Locksmithing through a combination of on-the-job training and TAFE study.
Locksmiths do more than cutting keys and repairing mechanical locks. Modern locksmiths use the latest technology to install, maintain and repair mechanical and electronic security systems. They can also work on electronic access control, CCTV and alarm systems.
RACV Trades is a trading name of RACV's trade partner, Club Home Response Pty Ltd (Victorian registered domestic building practitioner number CDB-U 100178). All works are performed or arranged by Club Home Response Pty Ltd. trading as RACV Trades. Read the RACV Trades terms and conditions.
