In general, there’s no need to worry and think your home is a constant target for robbers and home invaders. Crooks tend to look for easy money, and many people forget to take simple precautions to make their homes less appetizing to thieves. With just a few simple alterations and adjustments, you can create an aura around your home that tells criminals, “Go away!” Here’s how to keep your home safe and secure.
Load and Lock
One of the best deterrents to a thief is a locked door. Broken windows and busted doors are a great way to alert neighbors and patrolling police to a break-in. Make a habit of locking up whenever you leave and before you go to bed—that includes window latches. If you’ve just moved into a new home, have all the outdoor locks changed. Even if the previous owners left behind all the keys, extra keys might still be floating around out there. Invest in deadbolts as well, especially on basement and side doors that can’t be observed from the street. Finally, don’t keep your garage door opener in your unlocked car—that’s an invitation to any crook.
Get an Alarm or Fake It
Install a home alarm system. When the noise and lights go off, most crooks will make the smart decision and leave. If you don’t have the means to install such a system, placing a sign outside and prominently displaying stickers on the windows stating that an alarm is in operation can dissuade most thieves from taking a chance. As an added measure, you can install affordable webcams and security cameras around the house that can capture criminals’ images the minute they breach your property line and send them to your computer. We suggest you keep the cameras somewhere noticeable but hard to reach.
Check the Window Wells
Window wells are there to let sunshine into your basement and provide a means of escape in case of an emergency. Unfortunately, that also makes them a prime entry point for burglars. Lock your basement windows, and if your window well cover has a latch on the inside, keep it latched. Perform regular maintenance around the window well and don’t allow plants or bushes to cover the area, as that will only provide cover to crooks. Window wells are also a good place to focus outdoor lights during the wee hours of the night and morning.
Neighborhood Watch
When deciding how to keep your home safe and secure, don’t forget that your neighbors have the same concerns. Form a neighborhood watch and look out for one another’s houses. When you go on vacation, let the neighbors know, and reciprocate when they do the same so that you can “mind the store,” so to speak, while they are out. Neighborhood watches aren’t vigilante groups, incidentally. Just be aware and take care of your respective properties!
