8 easy DIY home security jobs to do on the weekend

1. Get rid of the hidden house key

Most people have a spare key hidden somewhere outside their home. Burglars know all the hiding spots, even the not-so-common ones. So take your spare and give it to a neighbour, friend or family member you trust.

2. Light up your entry

Test exterior lights at night to check that they’re working and provide enough illumination. Consider installing flood or motion sensor lights around front and rear entries, in your drive way and in any dark spots.

3. Trim shrubs to cut down hiding spots

Trim any shrubs and trees that are in front of windows, gates and entries so that crooks don’t have a place to hide. Aim to have a clear line of sight from your front door and windows to the street.

4. Grow plants that burglars hate

Plant thorny or prickly shrubs and plants such as cacti, native blackthorn, native raspberry or Mount Blackwood holly under windows to make your home even less appealing to burglars.

5. Stop sliding doors in their tracks

Install a piece of wooden dowel into the track of a sliding glass door or window to stop it from being forced open. Choose dowel that is thinner than the track and cut it to be around 1cm shorter, so that it fits snugly.

6. Check your locks are working effectively

Do a stock-take of your door and window locks. Fix or replace any broken locks and upgrade any weak ones with stronger keyed locks, deadbolts or keypad locks.

7. Make it harder for crooks to see in

Install one-way blinds on your windows to let natural light in but keep prying eyes out.

8. Strengthen your external doors

Upgrade your door fittings and hardware to make it harder for crooks to force their way in. Replace screws in hinges and strike plates with ones that are at least 80cm long. If your hinges only have 4 or 6 screw holes, replace them with ones that have 8 or 10. And invest in a good quality steel box strike plate for your door latch.