How To: Burglar Proof Your Home Without Robbing Your Wallet

If you want to Burglar Proof your home, you have to think like a criminal. For instance, if you were a burglar, would you target a home that was well lit at night, or would you target the home next door that’s dark and has low visibility? Burglars want to get in and get out of a home as quickly as possible. So the harder it is to gain entry into your home, the better.

There are 3 parts to a solid home security plan: Time, Visibility and Noise.

In order to improve these 3 factors, you have to find your home’s weakness. Ask yourself questions like…

• Is my house well-lit at night?
• Are there any areas around my home that would allow someone to break in without being seen?
• Do I have any unlocked doors or window?
• Can any of my valuables be seen through a window?

Improve Your Home’s Overall Security

Install a home security system: Research shows that homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be robbed, than a home with one installed. Home security systems are a deterrent. In addition, a monitored home security system will dispatch the police to your home if the alarm or sensors are triggered.

If you can’t afford a monitored home security system: consider installing alarms that will trip whenever someone breaks a window or opens a door. These types of alarms are fairly inexpensive – with a cost between $10 and $30 for each one. You can also put up generic “Home Security” stickers on windows and doors.

Get a dog: To me, this seems like an obvious thing but I LOVE dogs so I’m biased. While you shouldn’t rely solely on your dog as deterrent, having a barking dog in the house or backyard will make burglars think twice about breaking in. It’s not necessarily the fear of being attacked that deters them, but the noise drawing attention to their attempted break in. Below is a picture of my puppy, Porter. As you can see, he’s pretty adorable.

Tip: If you have a fenced in backyard, consider putting padlocks on your gates.

Keep your house maintained: Regular home maintenance and upkeep makes your home look occupied. An un-mowed, overgrown lawn could be a clue that no one is home. Secondly, it’s important to keep any trees, bushes or shrubs trimmed to eliminate potential hiding spots.

Keep your home nice and bright at night: The last thing a burglar wants is to be seen, so making sure your house is well-lit is an easy deterrent. Turn your porch light on at dusk, and use motion activated flood lights near shadowed areas. I highly recommend using a photocell light control. Photocell light controls automatically turn a light on when it gets dusk, and turns itself off at dusk. They’re very inexpensive, and they keep the outside of your home bright, all the time so you never have to worry about turning it on and off. To purchase your own Photocell light control from amazon, click here.

Be cautious about what you’re throwing out in the trash:  If a burglar sees a giant cardboard box for a TV sitting at the end of your driveway for the trash man, this can give them an incentive to break in. Also make sure you shred important information such as bills, bank statements, medical records etc. to save yourself from being a victim of identity theft.

Be careful about who you allow in your home: Anytime you let someone into your home, you are giving them the opportunity to scope out valuables. It’s especially important to be on guard when a service provider enters your home. Make sure to hide, or lock up any valuables including prescription painkillers. Never ever give them their own key. This gives them the opportunity to easily make a copy of the key. Also, only allow them to access the parts of the house that they’re working and don’t disclose future vacation plans or business trips.

Always lock your doors and windows: This seems like such an obvious thing to do, but 3 out of 10 burglars enter a home through an unlocked door or window. While locks can be picked, most burglars don’t want to spend time trying to pick a lock because it’s a little more time consuming, and thus less desirable for a burglar.

Use blinds and curtains: Burglars like to “window shop” to figure out which home offers them the most bang for the buck. Using blinds and curtains prevents snooping.

Keep your garage door closed: An open garage door with tool, toys, bikes etc. literally scream ROB ME! An open garage door means a burglar has full access to your house. It’s an easy entry point with low neighbor visibility. Also, if you park your car in the driveway, don’t leave the garage door opener in it.

Security Measure To Take While You’re Out Of Town:

Thieves prefer to hit unoccupied houses. Secure your house while you’re gone with the following measures:

Have a neighbor keep watch over your house: A neighbor can play a key role in making your house look occupied while your out of town.

Ask them to bring in your mail and newspapers: A pile of newspapers at the end of the driveway and overflowing mailbox is a key sign that you’re away and makes your home an easy target. Also Ask them to remove any fliers or door hangers that solicitors may have left.

Ask a neighbor to take your trashcans down: Have a neighbor take your trash cans down to the curb on trash day and return them to the garage or proper place once the trash has been picked up.

If You Do Get Robbed:

You could take all the security measures possible to protect your home, but there’s always a chance that a thief will be able to get in and steal your stuff. For that reason, it’s important to be prepared.

Use a safe: Keep valuables in a locked safe. Items like jewelry, coins, antiques, guns etc. should be stored in safe that is hidden, LOCKED and more challenging to reach.

Keep a list of expensive items: Make a list of expensive items you own, along with serial numbers. I suggest creating a spreadsheet like an excel file. I also suggest purchasing an engraving tool to engrave a unique ID number on your items that only you would know. If you can provide an ID number from your stolen items, police can use that to track down and potentially recover your property. A lot of thieves like to try pawning stolen goods.

Security Systems To Burglar Proof Your Home:

Front Point

How do security systems work? It’s pretty simple. Systems have sensors standing by to react to specific events. If a window breaks, or a door opens, these sensors send a signal to the Control Panel. The Control Panel then signals the monitoring center, which dispatches fire or police, as needed.

With a Frontpoint system, all sensors are completely wireless. It doesn’t depend on a landline, so even if your phone lines are down, you can still be alerted instantly if one of the sensors is activated. Your system is professionally monitored 24/7, so whether you have a fire, flood or medical emergency, we’re always watching out for you.

No Technician Required for Installation:

Frontpoint systems are designed to be simple and convenient to set up without the need for a technician to visit your home. In about 30 minutes, you can set up your system on your own schedule. Setup takes just three simple steps:

• Step 1 – Plug in the Control Panel
• Step 2 – Apply sensors
• Step 3 – Call to activate

Your Frontpoint system arrives pre-configured for your home. After our activation team confirms your equipment is working perfectly, they’ll walk you through the simple operating instructions. No appointments, no complicated installation, no wires or holes to drill around your home. Plus, you can expand your system as needed and even take it with you when you move.