I recently wrote this article in response to a question about house break-ins in rural Portugal:
Crime is on the increase everywhere...a result of the economic crisis not only here in Portugal but also over the border in Spain.
From years of experience in Southern Africa and here, I think that an alarm system on a rural property would only have a limited "immediate" deterrent effect!
If the power is cut then it has no effect.
I am a firm believer in enhanced "Passive Security" for all properties!
It costs more and may be unsightly, BUT as soon as most potential thieves realize that is going to take a while to break in, they scarper!
Furthermore, it works even when the power is cut!
What do I mean?
1) A good sturdy external fence and gate, if possible!
2) Sturdy Grills lockable with quality sturdy padlocks on the exterior of all windows and external doors.
3) Dead locks with bolts on the inside or all external doors and windows
One will never deter all such crime, but the more a property appears like a fortress, the less likely attempts will be.
Unfortunately, this is not just happening in rural Portugal, but world-wide.
The days of "leaving the backdoor open" are rapidly waning!
