In the Land Down Under, where the sun shines bright and the beaches beckon, it's easy to get lulled into a sense of security.

But according to a security expert, this laid-back attitude could be putting millions of Australians at risk.

The Nepean Regional Security director has sounded the alarm on a common mistake that many of us are guilty of.

During a recent appearance on Sunrise, Gina Field shared a startling statistic that should have us all double-checking our locks:

'About 5,500 Aussies per minute are forgetting to lock up.'

That's a staggering number of homes and cars left vulnerable every single minute of the day.

Australians are warned of risks due to unlocked doors and windows. Credit: YouTube

'It really seems like we’re not getting the memo here,' Field expressed to hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington.

Field's advice is simple yet crucial: 'Just go back and check those door handles and make sure your door’s locked.'

It's a small action that can make a significant difference in protecting your home and loved ones.

But the issue doesn't stop at physical locks. Field also delved into digital security, highlighting the dangers of unprotected Wi-Fi and the use of simple, easily guessable passwords.

With about five million Australians using unsecured Wi-Fi networks and many reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts, we're also inviting trouble into our virtual homes.

Hackers can exploit these weaknesses to access personal information and even security camera feeds.

And let's not forget the role social media plays in compromising our safety.

Field warns against oversharing online, particularly regarding real-time updates about our whereabouts.

'Criminals will know that we’re actually not home,' she cautioned, advising against posting holiday snaps or check-ins at local hotspots while you're still out and about.

When it comes to deterring would-be thieves, Field recommends using security surveillance signs but advises against advertising the brand of your security system.

This could give tech-savvy criminals the information they need to bypass your defences.

Take a moment to reflect on your security practices. Does your home display any security signage that could inadvertently aid a burglar?

Let's all heed Gina Field's expert advice and make small changes that can significantly impact our safety.

After all, peace of mind is priceless, and a secure home is a happy home.

​

In other news, a Toowoomba home was ransacked during the holiday season despite security measures, highlighting a surge in break-ins.

Data showed over 185,000 households were targeted in 2022-23, with theft claims spiking 40 per cent in the summer. You can read more about it here.

Key Takeaways

• Gina Field, a security expert, warns that many Australians are at risk because they fail to lock their doors and windows.
• About 5,500 Australians per minute neglect to secure their homes and vehicles.
• Simple and repeated passwords and oversharing on social media can make it easier for criminals to target households.
• Security signage is recommended, but advertising the brand of your security system could be counterproductive.

Are your doors and windows locked? Is your Wi-Fi protected with a strong, unique password? Have you been sharing too much on social media? Share your thoughts and any additional security tips in the comments below.

 

[Sherril54]

After being the victims of 2 break ins, (not recently) we are strict with security, safety screen doors, security shutters on windows, we have security cameras, cars with alarms, always on. It`s a bit like being in jail! And we`re not the villains! We`re used to it now, but what a way to live. This is the way of to-day especially where I live and we live in a nice neigbourhood too. The reason we moved to our current home, a so called less dangerous area!! was because our previous home was broken into while my husband was away and I was at home alone caring for our 2 youngest children. I have never recovered from this experience, we were not harmed (my handbag was stolen) but the thought that someone had been in my home while I was asleep has left me feeling very vulnerable. By the way the Police were not realy inerested!! No investigation took place.

 

[Towing]

After being the victims of 2 break ins, (not recently) we are strict with security, safety screen doors, security shutters on windows, we have security cameras, cars with alarms, always on. It`s a bit like being in jail! And we`re not the villains! We`re used to it now, but what a way to live. This is the way of to-day especially where I live and we live in a nice neigbourhood too. The reason we moved to our current home, a so called less dangerous area!! was because our previous home was broken into while my husband was away and I was at home alone caring for our 2 youngest children. I have never recovered from this experience, we were not harmed (my handbag was stolen) but the thought that someone had been in my home while I was asleep has left me feeling very vulnerable. By the way the Police were not realy inerested!! No investigation took place.

I hope car alarms have improved in the last few years. They didn't use to be connected to rear doors.

 

[PattiB]

I hope car alarms have improved in the last few years. They didn't use to be connected to rear doors.

My brother’s last car which was a 2006 Mazda, had an alarm fitted from new & it worked on all of the doors.

 

[Sherril54]

I hope car alarms have improved in the last few years. They didn't use to be connected to rear doors.

I hope so I`ll have to check!

 

[Catherines]

We recently needed to have our car battery replaced after 10 years at a cost of $500!. The RACQ guy advised that we lock the doors every night before going to sleep - his advice was that if we don’t do that the ‘computerised system is wondering what to do’ and that is a contributor to bringing down battery life, albeit a small contributor, because there is still one active computer region in the otherwise stationary & closed but not locked car. Apparently failing to do that reduces battery life over time. Don’t know the truth of this suggestion but since then we lock the car every night (it’s always garaged in a locked garage) so hopefully we won’t be spending another $500+ in a few years. After we started doing this, for the first few weeks we tried to open the doors then realised we’d locked them the night before!

 

[deni67]

We recently needed to have our car battery replaced after 10 years at a cost of $500!. The RACQ guy advised that we lock the doors every night before going to sleep - his advice was that if we don’t do that the ‘computerised system is wondering what to do’ and that is a contributor to bringing down battery life, albeit a small contributor, because there is still one active computer region in the otherwise stationary & closed but not locked car. Apparently failing to do that reduces battery life over time. Don’t know the truth of this suggestion but since then we lock the car every night (it’s always garaged in a locked garage) so hopefully we won’t be spending another $500+ in a few years. After we started doing this, for the first few weeks we tried to open the doors then realised we’d locked them the night before!

I don't get this, is this an EV you're talking about or just a normal battery?
If it's a normal battery who on earth pays $500 for one, we got our last one for $110 and so far it has lasted about 5 years and still going strong.
And what has it got to do with your house security?
Sorry but you lost me, not hard to do though

 

[Catherines]

I don't get this, is this an EV you're talking about or just a normal battery?
If it's a normal battery who on earth pays $500 for one, we got our last one for $110 and so far it has lasted about 5 years and still going strong.
And what has it got to do with your house security?
Sorry but you lost me, not hard to do though

I don't get this, is this an EV you're talking about or just a normal battery?
If it's a normal battery who on earth pays $500 for one, we got our last one for $110 and so far it has lasted about 5 years and still going strong.
And what has it got to do with your house security?
Sorry but you lost me, not hard to do though

It is a normal diesel run 4 wheel drive car. The battery is a RACQ provided battery with longer life. It has nothing to do with my house security - I never said it does. We were advised to lock the doors - the car doors - every night (not the house doors which we lock anyhow). By locking the car doors it tells the car’s computer system that nothing is working, using no battery power at all because EVERYTHING connected to that computer system in the car is turned off, including the doors. I probably didn’t explain myself to you properly. For the first few weeks we used to go to get into the car and realised we’d locked car doors the night before!! We got a receipt from the RACQ for battery including the call-out so I’m sure there was nothing hanky panky there. To pay for a taxi to and from a battery supplier would have cost us money also & we have the assurance of the battery supplied by RACQ with some ‘come-back’ if it doesn’t last.

 

[MariaG]

After being the victims of 2 break ins, (not recently) we are strict with security, safety screen doors, security shutters on windows, we have security cameras, cars with alarms, always on. It`s a bit like being in jail! And we`re not the villains! We`re used to it now, but what a way to live. This is the way of to-day especially where I live and we live in a nice neigbourhood too. The reason we moved to our current home, a so called less dangerous area!! was because our previous home was broken into while my husband was away and I was at home alone caring for our 2 youngest children. I have never recovered from this experience, we were not harmed (my handbag was stolen) but the thought that someone had been in my home while I was asleep has left me feeling very vulnerable. By the way the Police were not realy inerested!! No investigation took place.

I was watching a documentary some time back about burglaries. They interviewed a prison inmate who, at the time, was considered a master criminal.
He was asked what kind of properties he was drawn to ... he said houses with lanes, and, those with super high fences.
When asked what made him hesitate he said, houses with large dogs.
It was interesting. How do you feel about a Doberman with a spiked collar?

 

[Catherines]

I don't get this, is this an EV you're talking about or just a normal battery?
If it's a normal battery who on earth pays $500 for one, we got our last one for $110 and so far it has lasted about 5 years and still going strong.
And what has it got to do with your house security?
Sorry but you lost me, not hard to do though

To add to my comments and clear up a misunderstanding on the $500 car battery and ‘security of my house’ which you thought I was talking about - we have a ‘back-to-base monitoring system’ for our house whose invisible beams spread across every room except our bedroom (there are only 2 of us now living in a 4-bedder). If those beams are broken at anytime the outside and inside sirens will absolutely scream so loud for at least 5 minutes and the base company will contact us on my phone to check on our security or police if we don’t answer my phone. This was installed when my husband was a marine engineer working away for up to 4 months. I felt very safe and still do.

 

[Veggiepatch]

I was watching a documentary some time back about burglaries. They interviewed a prison inmate who, at the time, was considered a master criminal.
He was asked what kind of properties he was drawn to ... he said houses with lanes, and, those with super high fences.
When asked what made him hesitate he said, houses with large dogs.
It was interesting. How do you feel about a Doberman with a spiked collar?

Dogs don't worry me.

It's the owners you have to watch out for.

 

[Sherril54]

I was watching a documentary some time back about burglaries. They interviewed a prison inmate who, at the time, was considered a master criminal.
He was asked what kind of properties he was drawn to ... he said houses with lanes, and, those with super high fences.
When asked what made him hesitate he said, houses with large dogs.
It was interesting. How do you feel about a Doberman with a spiked collar?

He is right our house had a lane running next to it! Over the past 10 yrs I haven`t had any problems, don`t know about the dog!

 

[Cheezil]

To add to my comments and clear up a misunderstanding on the $500 car battery and ‘security of my house’ which you thought I was talking about - we have a ‘back-to-base monitoring system’ for our house whose invisible beams spread across every room except our bedroom (there are only 2 of us now living in a 4-bedder). If those beams are broken at anytime the outside and inside sirens will absolutely scream so loud for at least 5 minutes and the base company will contact us on my phone to check on our security or police if we don’t answer my phone. This was installed when my husband was a marine engineer working away for up to 4 months. I felt very safe and still do.

Does this security alarm work when the power is cut? I ask this because apparently in my town burglars are now simply turning off the power (in the meterboxes) & security cameras then dont work

 

[Cheezil]

I'I'nmot sure i even know how to turn off wi fi? or what my wifi password is? Yes I can turn off modem 240v power but no need for password when rebooting it.
And yes on my phone I can switch the wifi symbol on or off but no need for re-entering a password (which as mentioned is unknown anyway)
More info on tech stories would sometimes be helpful

 

[PattiB]

Does this security alarm work when the power is cut? I ask this because apparently in my town burglars are now simply turning off the power (in the meterboxes) & security cameras then dont work

Mine will still work regardless of power interruptions as it has a large capacity battery backup system. My husband insisted on a bigger battery than the one provided and while the system is wired in it calls out by mobile, so is totally secure.

 

[Cheezil]

Mine will still work regardless of power interruptions as it has a large capacity battery backup system. My husband insisted on a bigger battery than the one provided and while the system is wired in it calls out by mobile, so is totally secure.

That's good to know, I don't know a lot about them, thus hesitant to buy any as there are so many cheapo duds it's hard for someone like me to tell a good one

 

[PattiB]

That's good to know, I don't know a lot about them, thus hesitant to buy any as there are so many cheapo duds it's hard for someone like me to tell a good one

I know what you mean, I wouldn’t have a clue either but my fortunately my husband does. Our alarm system was installed by one of Teds former workmates, who had gone into the security business. Ted actually wired most of it, then his mate came in & finished it all off. Our smoke alarms are also on the same system. We aren’t in a high risk area but you never know do you. Ours was installed because we used to go away a lot, but now my brother stays if we go for off for a while. Monitoring doesn’t cost us that much as it’s done by a local company.

 

[Catherines]

Our system is a back-to-base system which works off its own battery. It is NOT wired through the electricity system of our home. If any of the sensors or the main unit batteries are low we get a warning announcement from the main unit telling us which sensor needs its battery replaced. We don’t have a camera but the scream is enough to ‘wake the dead’ as they say, so we feel very safe.