What are the best home security systems? Deadlocks, window locks, alarm systems, watchdogs – these can all play a role in protecting your home.

But you want to know one of the best ways to keep your home safe? Get to know your neighbours! That’s right – get out of your house and into your community. Break-ins are much less common in areas where there is a strong sense of neighbours looking out for each other.

This is one of the reasons I recently joined my local Neighbourhood Watch. Neighbourhood Watch has been around for about 30 years now. It was set up as a combined initiative between communities and the police. The aims are to increase awareness and reporting around suspicious activities, reduce crime and give people a good foundation in how to keep safe.

You’ve probably seen Neighbourhood Watch stickers on letter boxes or houses. I remember when they first started appearing, along with Safety House stickers, when I was a kid. Walking home on my own from school it definitely made me feel safer to be in an area that had Neighbourhood Watch or Safety Houses.

As someone who has made their profession from keys, locks, home security systems and home security audits, I can tell you that Neighbourhood Watch works.

So you might want to contact your local group and find out how to get involved. Improve the security of your own home and street and also that of your neighbours. You could be the friendly household that makes a child of this generation feel safe when they’re walking home from school!

For any residential, commercial and automotive locksmith needs in Melbourne CBD and nearly all Melbourne suburbs, and our trademark friendly service, call us on 1800 348 378.