“It won’t happen to me,” is a common thread among homeowners who haven’t experienced the crush of a home invasion. Chances are, it won’t happen to you… unless, of course you’re one of the unlucky ones. Monitored security systems aren’t for everyone. Although they don’t require a ton of maintenance, they do require you to pay the monthly monitoring bill. If a security system isn’t for you, here are 12 things you can do to safeguard your home against burglary.
Reduce Your Risk Of A Home Invasion By Following These Tips
1. Keep some lights on.
Keep lights on in your home. Even if you’re afraid of your electric bill being too high, JUST DO IT! It’s better to have to spend a little extra money keeping your house safe than to have to go through being victimized by burglary, and dealing with homeowners insurance and the violation you feel when someone you don’t know enters your home and takes your possessions. Even if you switch the light bulbs to low-wattage bulbs, always keep some lights on in your home.
2. Give your home a “lived in” look.
If you’re going to be gone for several days due to business, vacation, etc., you want your house to looked lived in so that it doesn’t come off as a “target opportunity” for burglars. Make arrangements to have your mail picked up, your driveway cleared of snow and eliminate any other clues of your absence.
3. Don’t help a burglar!
Keep your ladders locked up in the garage, make sure your tools are secure. Avoid leaving windows open, because this is the easiest way for someone to enter your house without setting any alarms off. Although everyone likes to have nice shrubbery, keep it well maintained as to not provide a hiding spot for someone waiting for you to leave.
4. Lock everything.
Make sure that your windows are locked; lock doors that are infrequently used; close the garage door. Invest in quality locks for your home; equip bars for sliding glass doors so that they cannot be pried open.
5. Protect your possessions.
Make a list of all your valuable things and record their serial numbers, so if your home is burglarized you can get as much back from your homeowner’s insurance as possible.
6. Ask a neighbor to watch the house.
It is always important that someone you can trust is watching your house while you are away. Ask a trustworthy neighbor to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary and to collect mail and other things delivered to the house that may pile up and give away your absence.
7. Keep track of keys.
Always know where your keys are. Don’t have tags on your keys that would give away where each key goes.
8. Insurance – Make sure you’re covered.
Make sure you have adequate homeowners insurance
9. Only tell certain people that you’ll be gone.
Give details of your departure only to people you know you can trust. You don’t want the word to spread that your home will be unoccupied for a long extent of time.
10. Don’t invite a burglar into your home.
It goes without saying: Never let someone you don’t know or trust into your home. Sometimes, however, it’s inevitable. Your kids have a party, and one of the guests happens to be a kleptomaniac or have a drug problem. They are not scared to take what is yours; they won’t think twice about it. So you also have to watch who your kids are associating themselves with and if their friends are trustworthy. Install peepholes in all the exterior doors so you’re able to see who is on the other side before you invite them into your home.
11. Invest in a security system.
This is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your safety, another thing to JUST DO! Don’t worry about the money. In the long run, it will be one of the best investments you have ever made — keeping you, your family and your possessions safe.
12. Report suspicious behavior.
Take part in your communities anti-crime programs. Don’t hesitate to inform police of suspicious behavior. Help prevent burglary. Extras: GPS systems are amazingly popular right now but can be dangerous at the same time. When arriving at your destination, take the GPS out of the car or put it in the glove box. If someone were to steal it, the GPS could take him right to your home, and he would know you were away since your car was somewhere else.
Thinking about investing in a security system? Let the folks at SHIELD help you out and give you the low down on some affordable options. Contact usfor a free quote.
