Most people want a home where they can feel safe. What applies when it comes to home security in Spain then? What should you keep in mind and how could you make sure to worry less about someone breaking into your home? In this week’s blog post, we bring up different ways to secure your home in the sunny country of Spain. A secure and welcoming home![/caption] Spain is the 15th safest country in the world when it comes to crime in general. It’s safe to say that a home in Spain is less likely to be burgled than in, for example, the U.K. In 2019 there were 70 000 reported cases of burglary in Spain. During about the same period of time and a bit into 2020, 356 000 burglaries happened in the U.K. To put further perspective to it, Spain has a bit over 46.6 million inhabitants while the U.K. has about 66.6 million. Although, no matter how safe your surroundings seem to be, it is always a good idea to have home insurance, which usually gets cheaper the more security measures you take. Some measures are, for example, alarms, bars in windows and doors, surveillance cameras and a robust front door with a double lock.
Have you ever wondered why most apartments and houses in Spain have windows and doors covered with bars (or rejas as it is called in Spanish)? As you might guess, they are not put up because of their charming beauty, but to prevent break-ins. The home insurance gets significantly cheaper if you have bars for your windows and doors. You can save up to between 10-30% on your insurance if you install rejas. As you can also imagine, many people have their windows open for most of the year due to the warm weather. Therefore, it can feel safe, especially if you live on the ground floor, if you then have a grille in front of your window. You can ventilate the living room while you are in the kitchen without having to worry about someone (or something) getting inside. In addition, the bars prevent small children and pets from climbing or falling out. Not all bars need to look like they belong in a dungeon. There are nicer models that are more decorative and are at least as functional. 
Decorative window bars[/caption]
There are of course many different alarm systems to choose from. Prices range from a few Pounds or Euros up to hundreds. Which alarm system suits your home the best should be looked over by knowledgeable security alarm providers. The main reason to why you want to install an alarm is not because it would make break-ins impossible, but to reduce the intruder’s time inside the home. The Swedish security company, Sector Alarm, is very popular in Spain. Among other things, they have their customer service in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. They can help you with everything you need to know – in Swedish as well as in English and Spanish, of course! 
Home security alarm from banggood.com[/caption]
When it’s time for a holiday or a weekend trip, your home is at risk of burglary the most. Today’s technology allows increasingly flexible and cheaper security systems that you can install yourself. Having surveillance cameras is especially recommended for larger homes to make it easier to keep track of possible break-ins. You should have a camera that is adapted to the dark. It is also good if it has a smart-function that allows one to set the camera with the mobile phone. It may also be worth investing in a 360 º panoramic camera. Also make sure that it has plenty of storage space. 
Watch over your home – from your phone or tablet[/caption]
Although it is mostly common for thieves to enter through the window at the back of the house, it is also important to have secure exterior doors. There are many different types of doors. Which one is best depends on what you want and can afford. It is important that there is no crack between the door and the door edge so that no flat tool can fit in between to pry with. There should also be at least double locks on the door. Here you can check out a great selection of quality doors from Euro Segur in Alicante. 
Details on old doors in Spain – Hand holding apple- door knob and twister ring bell to the left[/caption] If you are installing security measures in your home, keep in mind that your security and peace of mind is an investment and not a cost. Choose good quality products that work well and last a long time.
Check that all windows and doors are properly closed. At the same time, you should make sure that the home does not look empty. Therefore, it can be good to, for example, put some timers on the lights, preferably with irregular on- and off set times for different days. Ask a friend or neighbor to visit your home if you are away for a longer period. The thieves mainly look for passports, jewelry, electronics, alcohol, money and stronger medicines. Maybe it would be a good idea to have a safe with a code hidden somewhere in the home where you can put your most valuable items. Also remember not to post pictures of your expensive things or your location on social media. Send the lovely holiday photos to your friends privately instead. If you live in a house or on the groundfloor, make sure that you do not have any aids for the thief laying around, such as a ladder, flashlight or sharp objects. And absolutely no spare key under the rock! Worth mentioning as well; Should you happen to be offered event tickets from a stranger for any or no reason, make sure someone can house sit for you while you are out or give the tickets to somebody else. It may not happen often, but it is a trick for the thief to know when you’re away on a certain day and time.
