For the average Malaysian, slapping together a couple of locks and chains will do just fine in securing their homes. That will work, but sometimes, the best security measure is one that prevents a break-in, rather than barring the thief’s entrance. After all, prevention is better than cure. Let's get down to the details:

1/ Security cameras that don’t work

The art of bluffing goes a long way towards securing your home, and among the pinnacles of this discipline is having security cameras that don’t work. It is the equivalent of a scarecrow, albeit, employed to scare off humans instead. 

Just place a few of those security cameras at the front, back and balcony of your house and make it look convincing by attaching wires to them that lead back into the house. Thieves prefer to break into a house that lacks eyes, be it organic or electronic, and they will opt to give your home a wide berth.

2/ Let there be light (genesis 1:3)

Robbers are more inclined to rob a tightly locked house without an occupant than a simple home that is occupied. Having people in the house equals having witnesses, not considering the fact that criminals have to deal with the messy process of immobilising them, which equals more noise and attention.       

The cheapest trick is to turn on the lights and music before leaving your home, effectively creating the illusion that your home is occupied. You may also convert your home into a “smart home” that is capable of engaging or disengaging these things automatically.

3/ Goose-up

Some of the most effective safety mechanisms are also the most primitive ones, such as a guard animal. Dogs usually come to mind when guard animals are mentioned, but in actuality, a goose will do just fine.

They may not have the intimidating canine teeth to chew the occasional thief into ribbons, but a goose can be very persistent, making loud noises when an unfamiliar face attempts to cross its territory. To make matters worse for the thief, geese cannot be bribed, unlike dogs. When presented with food, geese make loud noises out of appreciation, which goes against the very idea of silencing them in the first place.

4/ Customise your locks

Generic locks are token gestures towards securing your home, especially when the average thief has some basic knowledge on picking one. Customise your locks to bamboozle them, or at best, preventing them from entry altogether. An electronic lock that requires a certain passcode could also throw off the less technologically savvy interloper.

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