In times of economic distress the chance that you will be victimized by a burglar increases exponentially. This is why now, more than ever, it is important for you take a few easy precautions to help deter these intruders from entering your home. Investing a little time into securing your home can help save you thousands of dollars, and help protect some of your priceless heirlooms from theft or vandalism. A few techniques you can use to keep your home secure and drive away potential burglars include:
1. Make sure your doors are heavy duty, metal preferably, and that the frame is just as strong. A significant percentage of burglars gain entrance to homes by physically dismantling flimsy doors with weak frames.
2. When away from your home for longer periods of time be sure to not make your absence obvious. Getting your mail forwarded, keeping your grass cut and your bushes trimmed, and having a neighbor pick up your newspapers in your absence are a few good ways to keep up the appearance that someone is currently living in the home. If there is a mailbox full of mail, a weeks worth of newspapers piled up, and a yard that shows no sign of maintenance it will be an easy clue to burglars that nobody is home and will definitely increase your chance of being victimized.
3. Consider joining or starting a neighborhood watch group for your area. This is a good way to keep a watchful eye on your property even when you are at work or just out and about. Burglaries are extremely less likely to happen in communities that have an active neighborhood watch group. Contact your local law enforcement agency for assistance in starting one of these groups in your neighborhood.
4. Keep the outside of your home well lit. Burglars thrive in the dark; don’t let them get comfortable prowling around your home. Install motion sensor lights, or even just keep your porch lights on, to keep your home from falling into a shroud of darkness. Make sure to place these lights high enough that they are less vulnerable to an easy disconnection.
5. Make sure your windows are secured and locked tightly. This will keep the burglar from slipping into your home easily and unnoticed. Also, you might want to keep your curtains shut or blinds closed to prevent burglars from identifying the valuables in your home.
6. Install a video surveillance system. In the last few years there has been an influx of cheap, easy to install video surveillance systems. Some of these can connect to your television, others run through your computer. These are great ways to see who is on your property at any given time, and will alert you of an intruder almost immediately. If you are away from home, you can video tape the premises. That gives you the chance, in the case of a burglary, to have a good identification of the vandal and a better chance of regaining your lost belongings.
7. The best way to keep burglars out of your home seems to be the installation of a home security system. Putting signs in your yard stating you are protected will be your first line of defense. If the intruder still decides to continue breaking into your home he will be greeted with a high pitched alarm. After a certain amount of time the police will be dispatched to the location. That sort of security combination will do a great deal to keep potential burglars far away from your home.
These are just a few of the ways you can help keep your home safe. Contact your local police department for more tips on keeping intruders away and making sure your home is as secure as it can be.
