It’s reasonable for a homeowner to be concerned about their family’s safety at home. This includes finding ways to make the home less likely to fall prey to burglars who may not only make away with valuables but could also cause your loved ones and yourself harm. Here are five tips to help you effectively make your home a burglar-proof haven.
1. Keep Valuables Out of Sight
Out of sight, out of mind should be your guiding principle. This is because burglars are less likely to attempt stealing from a home that offers no obvious signs of having any valuable items in it. You could also make it easier for thieves to steal from you by failing to secure and lock up items like bicycles which they will easily take when no one is at home. This is something to keep in mind since larceny-theft, according to Statist, is the most common form of crime in America. In 2020 alone, more than 4.6 million cases of it were reported, showing that it’s the first form of a burglary that you need to secure your valuables from.
2. Secure Your Doors
Your home’s doors may be the weakest point and are generally among the first points that burglars try to access your home through. Make sure that they are strong enough not to be kicked down easily and that their locks are top of the range. These should not be easy to pick, and neither should you leave your key in obvious places. Burglars generally know most of the common hiding spots where homeowners leave their keys and will therefore check these places first. If the door offers substantial resistance to any attempts to break in, would-be burglars are likely to give up their attempts of getting in due to the increased risk of getting caught.
3. Set Up Surveillance
If you don’t have some form of surveillance in your home, consider setting some up. Doing this can help you identify any criminals that either attempt to get into your home or manage to do so. When you have the faces of the criminals, it will be much easier to track them down and press charges against them if you so choose. Given that there were almost 35,000 arrests made for theft in 2019 in Pennsylvania, it’s clear that most criminals are caught after they commit a crime. If you have the chance to make a solid case against any that are caught committing a robbery, you may help keep the streets safer by getting them convicted. Visible surveillance is also often a good deterrent to any attempts to break into your home in the first place.
4. Light Up Your Exteriors
In a bid to secure your home better, don’t underestimate the importance of lighting. When darkness falls, many burglars get to work because they feel secure in the cover that the dark provides. By keeping your home’s exterior well lit, you drastically minimize the risk of being targeted by burglars. Look around for energy-efficient lights, therefore, and you will have taken a major step towards securing your home.
5. Eliminate Hiding Spots
Finally, make sure that there are no hiding spots around your home where potential thieves can hide as they look for ways to get into your home. This can be done by trimming back any shrubs growing too close to your home. You should also ensure that any windows that can be accessed easily are secure and of good quality. If you decide to change the windows to get stronger ones, consider their energy efficiency as well. This is because heat gained and lost through the windows is responsible for between 25% and 30% of the heating and cooling energy used in a residence.
With these tips, you can enjoy a safer home that you know will not be an easy target for would-be burglars.
