While we are lucky enough to live in a part of the world where the incidence of violent crime is thankfully very rare, unfortunately there are certain elements in our midst who look for every opportunity to spoil our otherwise peaceful existence. By its very nature, such opportunistic crime depends on us not being as security conscious as we should be. However, by following a few common-sense rules and taking some basic precautions, we can lessen the risk of falling prey to the activities of these undesirables. In this feature, we will concentrate on two areas in particular.

Airport Security
Those who use the airport on a frequent basis will no doubt be aware of the measures they need to take to ensure their personal security. However, as familiarity can sometimes lull us into a false sense of security, it is perhaps worthwhile to remind ourselves of the main precautions we should take. Above all, we need to be ever vigilant and remain mindful of our surroundings. Additionally, we should be aware of the following points;
 
-Keep luggage close at hand at all times.
-Be careful with any bags we may be carrying (particularly if they contain money, passports, flight tickets, etc.).
-Be cautious of accepting assistance from a stranger in finding a taxi or picking-up a rental car. Always look for visible identification, i.e. name badge with a photograph and clearly showing the company involved.
-Be particularly vigilant when putting luggage into our car and never leave bags unattended.
Only use authorised taxis.  

Household Security
While no form of household security is 100% burglar proof, protection measures such as grills and alarms can act as a major deterrent to all but the most ardent of criminals. According to Tim Gould (see advert below), grills are a very effective first line of defence. However, it is important that they are:
-Measured correctly (not all door and window openings are the same shape or size).
-Fabricated to a high standard (welds properly finished).
-Installed properly and by a reputable company (thus providing quality assurance).
-Fixed firmly to the window or door surround (preferably set into the reveal).
Fitted in such a way that the potential for leverage is minimised This makes it difficult to prise the grill off the wall. Believe it or not, car jacks have been used for this purpose!

Different grills
There are many different types of grills. Those with twisted bars are far stronger than grills fabricated with hollow circular tubes. For home owners concerned about the risk of fire, it is possible to fit hinged grills to windows and thus provide another point of exit in the event of such emergencies. This type of grill has a lock on the inside and, once closed, it cannot be distinguished from a normal grill.
In the case of door grills, Tim recommends that they be fitted with more than one bolt, e.g. three point locks are quite common. If terrace space is at a premium, a concertina type grill can be fitted in preference to a hinged door.
Shutters are a further means of protection - but not if they are open! Leaving shutters open, and particularly when you are not at home, can be an open invitation to a burglar to have a look inside. Even when you are in your house, and particularly at night time, window and door shutters should always be closed. Shutters can also be fitted with sliding bolts at the bottom which offer additional security.
Even with grills on the outside and shutters on the inside, windows themselves can be a security weak point. However, there are ways of making them less vulnerable to being forced open and these include:
-Properly adjusting the catches so that the windows close tightly.
-Fitting barrel locks. These prevent sliding windows from being moved individually and are a very inexpensive security measure.

Novelties
Tim Gould also mentioned a rather novel way of improving the security of sliding windows, namely to cut a piece of wood and to fit this into the window track – a simple but ingenious idea.
Before leaving the subject of household security, home owners should particularly look-out for any unusual tell-tale signs around their properties, e.g. bricks left on garden walls or the presence of any of the well known markings which burglars use to identify homes as potential targets for their activities.
The purpose of this feature is not to in any way worry readers but rather to inform them about the simple yet effective measures they can take to lessen the risk of their personal possessions being stolen.
In summary, the best advice we can give is to do everything possible to protect yourself, your home and your possessions. Put simply, be as security conscious in Spain as you would  be anywhere else and remember that your security is your concern.