Thousands of break-ins occur every day in America. In fact, multiple homes are burglarized every minute. When a criminal looks for a home to target, they look for something easy. This may be a property that has dense shrubbery near the entryways or a home that lacks landscape lighting. These areas provide a criminal with the perfect place to hide and watch the property. How can a property owner protect their home and other assets? The following tips help in achieving this goal.
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Limit Access to the Property
To prevent someone from gaining access to the home, make it difficult for them to enter the property. Consider purchasing driveway gates and fencing for sale to secure the property itself. If a criminal cannot enter the property, they cannot make their way into the home or other buildings on the land. While a four-foot white picket fence might add to the curb appeal, it won’t do much to keep criminals out.
Choose iron or steel for the driveway gate and fencing to ensure it fulfills the intended purpose of deterring criminals from trying to gain access to areas where they do not belong. The more time they take to access the property, the more likely they are to be caught.
Don’t Leave Assets Out in the Open
While a fence can restrict a person’s view of the contents of the property, it may not provide complete protection from prying eyes. Keep all valuables locked up in a garage or shed where outsiders cannot easily see them. This would include lawn equipment, grills, bikes, and vehicles. If it doesn’t appear there is much of value on a property, a criminal may look for another home to burglarize. Adding a fence and gate along with locking up valuables reduces the risk of the home becoming a target.
Make the Home Look Occupied
Everyone needs to get away at times. Criminals take advantage of empty homes, however, so make the house look occupied when the family travels. This may be as simple as installing timers on lights to have them go on and off throughout the day and evening. Always stop mail delivery or have a neighbor get the mail so it doesn’t pile up. A pile of mail is a sure sign nobody is home. Criminals look for homes that appear untended and unoccupied when choosing a target.
Install Deadbolts
If a criminal does make it past the fence and gate, make it hard for them to access the home or other buildings on the property by installing deadbolts on all doors. Choose a deadbolt that cannot be picked and features a hardened plate. This helps safeguard the lock from a drill attack. Always change the locks immediately after purchasing a home, and have a professional examine the door frames to ensure they will hold up if a criminal tries to force their way into the home.
Remove Items from the Yard
As previously mentioned, never leave valuables in the yard. When a person thinks of their assets, however, they rarely bring to mind patio furniture and toys. They look at big-ticket items. However, toys left in the yard suggest there might be nice things in the home, too, while criminals see patio furniture as a means to access windows on the second story. This doesn’t mean a person shouldn’t have these things. Pick the toys up at the end of the day, and ensure the furniture is not positioned right next to the house. If the criminal must move the furnishings to use them for access to the house, it increases the likelihood of them being caught. They will typically pick another home.
Choose Doors and Locks Carefully
When purchasing doors for the home, choose solid core or metal versions, and pair them with high-quality deadbolt locks. Look for those locks with an ANSI grade 1 rating and choose a style that has a horizontal bolt that’s a minimum of one inch long. Short bolts allow the burglar to spread the door frame with the help of tools. Internal anti-saw pins reduce the risk of a criminal sawing through the bolt, and some models today come with an anti-drill feature that destroys a drill bit. The lock casing needs to be beveled and made of hardened steel. Finally, ensure there is a metal strike plate attached to the doorjamb. Kicking at this plate is how many burglars enter the home. A high-security strike plate prevents them from doing so.
Invest in a Security System
Only one-quarter of American homes today have a security system, yet this remains among the best ways to prevent criminals from accessing the homes. Many homeowners today choose to invest in a smart home system with all the bells and whistles. Homeowners may choose from systems they monitor themselves or partner with a provider who will handle monitoring tasks on their behalf.
Some systems come with cameras, while others attach to doors and windows and trigger the system when a person attempts to access the home using them. Consider all options to find the best solution for the home based on its location, local crime rates, law enforcement response time, and more.
Meet the Neighbors
Criminals try to avoid those areas with a Neighborhood Watch program in place. They know these neighbors look out for each other and will call the police if they see something that looks suspicious. It’s always nice to have extra eyes on the home when the family is gone. In addition, neighbors may work different schedules. If a person is gone every day from 8 am to 5 pm, for example, a criminal may learn this schedule and try to benefit from it. Another neighbor who works the night shift can watch the home to take action if anything looks unusual.
Lock All Doors and Windows
Always double-check doors and windows to ensure they are locked. People often assume another family member has locked a door when they haven’t. Sadly, this can lead to very serious consequences. In addition, make sure to remove keys from the door lock. Many people enter the home with their hands full and forget they have left the keys in the lock. They shut the door and think the keys are inside. This makes it very easy for an intruder to enter the home, and the family wonders how they could do so. Don’t overlook the garage when checking all doors and windows, as this is another easy entryway for criminals who want to do harm.
Beware of Dog Signs
Install Beware of Dog signs even if there is no dog in the home. No criminal wants to encounter a vicious dog as they go about their nefarious activities. The dog could bite them, so they end up leaving a blood trail behind. This blood can be used to identify them. In addition, if anyone is present in the home, the dog may bark when they see the intruder. This will alert the individual in the home to the criminal’s presence so they can call law enforcement. These signs cost very little but provide outstanding benefits.
Install Reflective House Numbers
Criminals like dark properties, particularly those that cannot easily be found by law enforcement. By installing reflective house numbers not only on the home but also on the mailbox, a homeowner can reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a crime. This simple step allows the police to arrive at the property sooner. They may even catch the criminal in the act and take them off the streets so they can’t do harm to others.
Safeguard the Home Network
Electronic devices in the home are another target for criminals today. They can easily access the home network and gain access to sensitive information if this network has not been hardened. Fences, gates, door locks, and a security system cannot stop this type of digital theft. It falls on the homeowner to secure the network.
Invest in a wireless router with WPA2 or WPA3 encryption. In addition, use a strong SSID and ensure the firewall is enabled. Never enable the “Admin via Wireless” features, either. If help is needed in this area, work with an IT specialist, as one can never be too safe when it comes to personal information. Identity theft is on the rise.
Watch What Is Said on Social Media?
Never discuss a trip prior to leaving. Wait to share details and pictures of the trip until it is over. Criminals monitor social media accounts to learn when people will be away from their homes for an extended period. They take advantage of this and visit the unoccupied property, knowing the risk of being caught is greatly diminished. Don’t make it easy for them by sharing details about a planned getaway.
Criminals have been around since the dawn of time, and they continue to find new ways to exploit other people. Make it difficult for them to do so by taking steps both inside the home and on the property. Homeowners who do so find they reduce the risk of becoming a victim significantly.