The Trellidor franchise network has found that the second most common point of entry for burglars breaking into a home is windows. Either there is no burglar proofing at all, or robbers break through poor quality burglar bars. With the annual crime statistics showing no sign of significant change, it’s time to ask ourselves: “How secure are my windows against a break-in?”
Commenting on the SA crime statistics for 2022/2023, Stats SA found that housebreaking is the most common crime experienced by households in South Africa. The second most common type of crime experienced by households in SA is home robbery.
Stats SA explain the difference between the two as follows: “Home robbery” is regarded as a violent crime because people are at home when it takes place as compared to “housebreaking” (burglary), which occurs when the family is away from home.
People that have experienced the trauma of home robbery frequently say that they won’t feel safe again until their homes are properly protected. They want to put physical barriers between themselves and the criminals to make sure they can avoid a repeat of what has happened to them. Trellidor security experts are often called in at this point to help the victims make their homes safe again.
What the Trellidor team has found from these break-ins is that the 3 most common entry points for burglars are:
- Front or back doors left open or unsecured.
- Windows left open or unsecured.
- Open garages which are connected to the house
All these weak points in a home can be strengthened by installing good quality burglar proofing. This means security gates or shutters for doors, burglar bars or shutters for windows, and security doors between the garage and the house.
Burglar Bars for Peace of Mind
As we’ve seen, criminals attack a targeted home whether the residents are there or not. They know that even if they set off a burglar alarm, they have enough time to get in and out with what they’re after. This is true even if they have to intimidate people in the home to stop them calling for assistance.
For most victims of home robbery, the strength of their newly installed protection is key. They want to make sure robbers don’t get to them again. The burglar bar prices are important, of course, but they often request the best burglar bars they can afford within their budget. They generally do not want to compromise on quality.
The Trellidor range offers many different types of burglar bar design at different prices and all high quality. Some are the more traditional style cross bars; others are less obvious burglar bar types like security screens, louvre shutters and roller shutters.
In terms of conventional window protection, one of the most popular requests is for Traditional Trellidor Fixed Burglar Bars. They are part of the tried and tested Traditional Trellidor range that includes our well-known sliding gates for doors and windows. The fixed, non-opening version matches these sliding gates. They are custom manufactured to protect any type of window and any size, small or large.
DIY vs Professional Installations
An honest assessment of the state of your window burglar proofing will leave you with decisions to make. Let’s look at the possible options.
- Your existing burglar bars may be rusted and damaged, no longer able to provide adequate protection. In this scenario you’ll need to consider an upgrade.
- You may not have burglar bars on every window and suddenly those unsecured windows look very vulnerable. Here, you’ll need advice on how to match new burglar bars with the old ones to avoid a ‘fruit salad’ effect.
- You have no burglar proofing at all on your windows and be daunted by the price of starting from scratch.
Whichever situation you are in, you will have to spend money to make your home safe. Many would be tempted to go the DIY route and install the burglar bars themselves. This is perfectly fine as long as you’re aware of what you are purchasing.
DIY burglar bars are not the most effective form of protection against a home robbery. They are cheaper than custom-made barriers, so manufacturing costs have to be kept low. This means that the burglar bars are not as strong as custom-made ones produced by a reputable manufacturer. You may be compromising your safety as off-the-shelf burglar bars will be quicker and easier for robbers to break through than custom-made ones.
For real peace of mind it is recommended that you rather opt for custom-made security. It is made from better quality steel or aluminium and designed with internal strengthening features. Units are professionally fitted with tamper-proof fixings. These customised products are powder coated and corrosion-proofed so that they last longer, providing better value for money.
The price of the upgrades you have to do to feel safe should not put you off. Trellidor have several finance options to make it less daunting, including a 6-month interest free loan. Your nearest Trellidor outlet will be able to tell you more.
What to look for in Burglar Bars you can Trust
For the last 45 years, Traditional Trellidor Fixed Burglar Bars have been the standard by which other burglar bars are measured in South Africa. They have all the qualities required to protect windows from a break-through attempt, and the people inside from the distress of a home robbery.
These qualities are:
- Custom-made to make sure the burglar bar fits the space securely.
- A full, four-sided frame to strengthen the burglar bar under attack.
- Every component is engineered for strength under attack.
- A corrosion and UV-resistant coating for long-lasting protection.
- A choice of fitting to suit the window – internal or external, face-on or reveal.
- A choice of models to suit risk profile and budget limitations.
- A dependable warranty that will be honoured by the company.
- Installed by security experts for a strong, reliable barrier to entry.
Once fitted into place next to your windows, these fixed burglar bars are always on duty, keeping you safe. If your electricity goes off and electronic security measures fail, burglar bars are there as your reassuring last line of defence against a potential robbery.
The Pro’s and Con’s of Fixed Burglar Bars
Fixed, trellis style burglar guards don’t suit everyone. They are highly visible, with several rows of upright bars and criss-cross patterns across the window. It is meant to be seen and therefore act as a deterrent to criminals.
But high visibility is often the reason why victims of a home robbery do want these burglar bars installed. They send a message to criminals that their home is well-secured. The burglar bars make a break-in attempt very risky for robbers because it takes time. It also attracts unwanted attention through the noise. Robbers may find that the risk isn’t worth it and move on to easier targets.
Another advantage of Traditional Trellidor Fixed Burglar Bars is that they allow high visibility through the bars. You won’t be caught by surprise by criminals creeping up to the house. You can see them coming across your property.
Fixed trellis-style burglar bars provide great ventilation too. They don’t block off air flow like more solid forms of window protection such as shutters with solid panels. Windows can be left open with fixed burglar bars guarding them if you need fresh air.
Another point to consider is that once fixed burglar bars are installed, they can’t be opened. It is advisable to have at least one burglar bar unit that can be opened in an emergency. A useful benefit of purchasing your burglar bars through Trellidor is that you can match your Fixed Burglar Bars with one or two sliding units that look exactly the same. The sliding units can be used as an emergency escape in case of fire or a hostage situation.
Window Security in Need of an Upgrade?
At this point you may have decided that you need help with protecting your home against housebreaking or home robbery. Take the first step by contacting your nearest Trellidor outlet. A Trellidor security expert will schedule a home security assessment for you and help you plan for better window protection.
Or visit the Trellidor product pages to find out more about Traditional Trellidor Fixed Security and other window security styles.
