Keeping your home safe from burglars doesn’t always require expensive products and time-consuming tasks. The following 7 simple tips will help burglar-proof your home and keep you, your family, and your items safe from the hands of criminals without breaking your budget.
- Keep at least one light on
Keeping one light on that can be seen from the outside gives the illusion that someone is home and awake, which can deter burglars from entering your home. Furthermore, consider using curtains or blinds to block the view inside your home. Burglars like to “case” the house to make sure the items in the home are worth the risk. If they don’t know what you have in your home, they are more than likely to move on to a more vulnerable house. - Place a beware of dog sign in your yard even if you don’t have a pooch
Most criminals would rather get in and out of homes without dealing with a protective dog. Simply placing one of these inexpensive signs in your yard can help keep burglars at bay. - Refrain from leaving a spare house key outside
Even if you think the key is well-hidden, most experience criminals know where to look for spare keys. They know all the tricks such as hiding the key under a mat or potted plant, and they even look for the fake rocks designed to hide keys in. Instead, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep a spare key at their house. - Keep your yard tidy
Burglars often look for houses that are hidden by overgrown trees and bushes, which help hide their sneaky actions from the eyes of neighbors and passerbyers. Keeping your bushes no higher than 3 feet and tree limbs pruned to no lower than 6 feet will help deter burglars. For those without pets and small children, consider planting short yet thorny bushes around the foundation of your home for extra protection. - Always lock doors and windows
Many times robbers will strike when you forget to lock your doors and windows. This simple step is easy to overlook especially if you are just making a quick run to the grocery store or forget to shut a cracked window before bed. Even if you feel completely safe in your neighborhood, you should still always lock all doors and windows. Criminals are looking for a quick, easy target where they can get in and out in a matter of minutes. Merely locking up every time you leave or go to bed can help prevent you from becoming a victim of theft.
- Remove your name from your mailbox
Some criminals will use the name on your mailbox to locate your phone number. From there, they will call your house to see whether you are home or not. Furthermore, avoid placing boxes for high-end items — such as expensive televisions or computers — outside for the garbage men to pick up. Experienced criminals look for signs like this, which inform them that you have recently purchased new and expensive items just waiting for the picking. - Consider installing an alarm system
Alarm systems provide complete protection against burglars and are available in a wide array of price ranges. Simple do-it-yourself alarm systems can be purchased at department stores and home improvement centers, while higher-end systems with all the bells and whistles can be professionally installed by security companies.
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