Hundreds of thousands of home burglaries take place yearly, and, although the risk of home break-ins and theft is not completely avoidable, there are all kinds of precautionary measures that home owners and renters can take to try and protect their families and things.
Those who live alone and work away from home, leaving their residences unattended all day, may be at a higher risk of theft, as well as frequent travelers that oftentimes leave their homes for extended periods of time are at the greatest risk of home theft. Experienced thieves will likely be able to detect which homes are inhabited by people with very regular schedules, and prey on them. Therefore, it is extremely important to burglar-proof your home as much as possible in order to prevent theft both while you are in the home and while away.
The initial necessary step is to install a reliable home security system provided by a well-known company. All kinds of security systems are available for all types of residences, whether an apartment, a condo, or a duplexes, or a stand-alone house with a large property. Normally a home security network will have at least a window and door alarm system, and there are others equipped with driveway alarms and motion sensors. Camera surveillance is another option and is especially useful for those with large houses or spacious yards and property areas. Home alarms can be connected directly to police and emergency dispatch, which is particularly of interest for frequent travelers and people who live alone, as well as remote homes that do not have nearby neighbors or roads with passerby that would be alerted by a sounding alarm.
Equip your windows and glass sliding doors with locks, and install reliable deadbolt locks on all outside doors. On doors with glass panes or windows directly to the side, add an extra key lock to that the door can not be opened from the inside easily, should the glass be broken in a burglary to attempt to flip the lock and enter through the door.
A well-lit home is generally a safer home. Consider having motion sensor lights put in, which will alert anyone inside the house to outside movement, or timers on flood lights around your house, as well as a few lights arrange around the yard and along the driveway. This will look decorative but also eliminate large dark patches in the yard where burglars can conceal themselves. Blinds and curtains should be kept closed, particularly at night, so as not to advertise the possessions in your home to the whole neighborhood.
And, specifically of interest to those living in remote areas, consider getting a dog; even a small one will bring attention to anything suspicious or unexpected, especially in the middle of the night, and may scare away intruders just by creating a disturbance. In fact, a large number of burglars have noted in interviews that they are far less likely to attempt to break into a house with a “Beware of Dog” sign, regardless of whether or not they know if there is in fact a dog on the property.
Should your house be broken into while you are not at home, bear in mind that stowing valuable and irreplaceable materials away in a code-secured safe is a smart way to protect your belongings. While on vacation, ensure that a friend or neighbor will drop by to pick up your mail, newspapers, and packages, and ask them to survey the property briefly for any giveaway signs, such as blown-over lawn furniture or garbage bins, that the homeowners are out of town.
