Prevent your Home from Being Burglarized
The failing economy is causing more and more jobs to be eliminated. People are unable to find jobs and unable to provide for their families. People are becoming desperate and finding other means to obtain money such as burglary. Here are some ideas to prevent your home from being an easy target.
Locks
-Keep windows and doors locked during the day as well as at night. Lock the doors even if you are only going to be gone for a short time. Haven’t we all made the short trip to Dominick’s with our front doors unlocked? If you are working in the back yard keep the front door locked.
-The best locks are dead bolt locks especially the ones that require a key.
-Sliding doors should have two locks on them. In addition to the locks cut a wooden stick and place it in the door track to prevent the door from being slide open from the outside.
-Windows should have locks on them and an additional lock that prevents it from being lifted higher than a couple of inches. Don’t forget to secure the windows in window wells
Light
-One of the best ways to deter a burglar is with light. Motion detection lights are relatively inexpensive. and easy to install.
-Put your indoor and outdoor lights on a timer.
-Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed to make sure there are no dark concealed areas around your house. so to prevent
Vacations
Notify the police department if you are going on vacation. They will provide additional patrols.
Notify your neighbors when you plan to be away so that they can help keep an eye out for suspicious activity.
Cancel mail and paper delivery when you are on vacation.
Other ideas
-Put your TV or a radio on a timer
-Put up a “Beware of Dog” sign even if you don’t have a dog. Burglars tend to avoid houses with dogs. Seeing the sign will make them think twice about burglarizing your home.
-Keep your valuables such as jewelry, coin /stamp collections in a safe deposit box at the bank.
-Vary your routine. Leave and come home from work at varying times.
-Get a dog. Even a small dog will make noise. Do not install a “doggie door”. Burglars have been known to gain access through such doors.
-Alarm systems are another option but are relatively expensive.
Sometimes all your efforts won't stop a determined burglar so here are some additional tips to help you after a burglary
-Make a list of your belongings. Keep receipts for expensive items. Keep a copy of the list in a safe deposit box with the receipts.
-Photographing and/or videotaping your possessions is a convenient way to keep a record of what you own.
-Engrave your valuables with a special mark or number to not only deter burglars from stealing the items but to prove ownership in the event the item is stolen and then recovered.