probably adjacent to someone else’s. You never know how determined a thief will be to get into your flat.

Don’t let in anyone you don’t know. Burglars often try all the buzzers in a building, looking for the kind soul who’ll believe their story about forgetting their keys. Don’t fall for it. If a repairman tries to get you to let him in, ask to see an ID and work order.

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Homeowners are often more concerned about security than flat-dwellers. However, it’s easier for a flat to be robbed than a house—and it’s not just because homeowners are more likely to invest in security systems. Many flat-dwellers live in buildings with door attendants, and have a false sense of security as a result. Despite this, so many more people enter and leave the building—it’s easy to tell who the intruder is in your home, but it’s more difficult when it comes to a block of flats. To make things tougher, many security measures require modifications that flat-dwellers aren’t authorized to make.

However, all is not lost. There are some basic steps you can take to make your flat more secure. Here are a few suggestions.

Don’t assume you have nothing to steal. You may think you don’t have much of value—but burglars don’t know that. They typically go after the easiest home to break into, not the one with the most stuff. If you assume nobody would be interested in robbing you, you may treat your security a little more casually than you should.

Never leave your door or windows open. How many times have you “just popped down” to the laundry and left the door unlocked? Hopefully, never. But many of us are casual about flat security. There’s a tendency to feel that since our home doesn’t open to the outside, we’re safer. But in the five minutes it takes you to run to the soda machine, a thief could be in and out of your flat. Never leave your windows unlocked when you’re not home, either—even if you live in a high-rise, your windows are probably adjacent to someone else’s. You never know how determined a thief will be to get into your flat.

Don’t let in anyone you don’t know. Burglars often try all the buzzers in a building, looking for the kind soul who’ll believe their story about forgetting their keys. Don’t fall for it. If a repairman tries to get you to let him in, ask to see an ID and work order.

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tell who the intruder is in your home, but it’s more difficult when it comes to a block of flats. To make things tougher, many security measures require modifications that flat-dwellers aren’t authorized to make.

However, all is not lost. There are some basic steps you can take to make your flat more secure. Here are a few suggestions.

Don’t assume you have nothing to steal. You may think you don’t have much of value—but burglars don’t know that. They typically go after the easiest home to break into, not the one with the most stuff. If you assume nobody would be interested in robbing you, you may treat your security a little more casually than you should.

Never leave your door or windows open. How many times have you “just popped down” to the laundry and left the door unlocked? Hopefully, never. But many of us are casual about flat security. There’s a tendency to feel that since our home doesn’t open to the outside, we’re safer. But in the five minutes it takes you to run to the soda machine, a thief could be in and out of your flat. Never leave your windows unlocked when you’re not home, either—even if you live in a high-rise, your windows are probably adjacent to someone else’s. You never know how determined a thief will be to get into your flat.

Don’t let in anyone you don’t know. Burglars often try all the buzzers in a building, looking for the kind soul who’ll believe their story about forgetting their keys. Don’t fall for it. If a repairman tries to get you to let him in, ask to see an ID and work order.

Don’t le

may think you don’t have much of value—but burglars don’t know that. They typically go after the easiest home to break into, not the one with the most stuff. If you assume nobody would be interested in robbing you, you may treat your security a little more casually than you should.

Never leave your door or windows open. How many times have you “just popped down” to the laundry and left the door unlocked? Hopefully, never. But many of us are casual about flat security. There’s a tendency to feel that since our home doesn’t open to the outside, we’re safer. But in the five minutes it takes you to run to the soda machine, a thief could be in and out of your flat. Never leave your windows unlocked when you’re not home, either—even if you live in a high-rise, your windows are probably adjacent to someone else’s. You never know how determined a thief will be to get into your flat.

Don’t let in anyone you don’t know. Burglars often try all the buzzers in a building, looking for the kind soul who’ll believe their story about forgetting their keys. Don’t fall for it. If a repairman tries to get you to let him in, ask to see an ID and work order.

Don’t le

the door unlocked? Hopefully, never. But many of us are casual about flat security. There’s a tendency to feel that since our home doesn’t open to the outside, we’re safer. But in the five minutes it takes you to run to the soda machine, a thief could be in and out of your flat. Never leave your windows unlocked when you’re not home, either—even if you live in a high-rise, your windows are probably adjacent to someone else’s. You never know how determined a thief will be to get into your flat.

Don’t let in anyone you don’t know. Burglars often try all the buzzers in a building, looking for the kind soul who’ll believe their story about forgetting their keys. Don’t fall for it. If a repairman tries to get you to let him in, ask to see an ID and work order.

Don’t le

probably adjacent to someone else’s. You never know how determined a thief will be to get into your flat.

Don’t let in anyone you don’t know. Burglars often try all the buzzers in a building, looking for the kind soul who’ll believe their story about forgetting their keys. Don’t fall for it. If a repairman tries to get you to let him in, ask to see an ID and work order.

Don’t leave your full name on your nameplate. Particularly if you’re female. Some criminals target women because they believe they’re easier victims. If you have a nameplate by your buzzer, simply write your last name—or include only an initial.

Buy a freestanding safe. If you rent a flat, chances are you won’t be able to install a wall or floor safe—and your landlord might not look kindly on your efforts to bolt a freestanding safe into the floor. However, if you have any valuables that are worth significant cash, you should still store them in a safe. Look for a small freestanding safe, and find a good place in your apartment to conceal it.

Don’t let anyone in after you. Burglars often get into buildings by waiting by the door and following a resident inside. Watch out for anyone hanging out by the door—and don’t let them follow you through.

Change your locks after moving in. A reputable landlord will do this as part of the process of changing one tenant for another. But not all landlords are reputable. Just to be safe, change the lock on your door so that former tenants can’t get into your flat.

Block your peephole. If there is no peephole in the door, you should get one installed. However, you should also be aware that anyone outside can look through your peephole. They won’t be able to see you, but they can see light and movement inside. To block the light, screw a small piece of leather or plastic over the peephole with a short screw or a tack. When looking through, simply move your face close to the peephole to block the light,