Ever feel like you and your home could use a little more security? Keeping your home safe and secure is a lot easier than you think. Most crimes are ones of opportunity. Remove the opportunity, and the thief will—9 times out of 10—simply walk away. Put up a line of defense that ensures robbers and other home invaders can’t or won’t step over for fear of getting caught. Here are several ways to keep your home safe from break-ins.
Check the Locks, and Keep Them Locked
One of the simplest ways to make thieves go away is to make it hard for them to get in. Keep your doors locked and your windows latched when you’re away or asleep. Add deadbolts to all the doors, too, especially in the back and on the sides of the house, where a crook would prefer to work unseen. If you move to a new home, have all the locks changed. The realtor or previous owner may have given you all their keys, but there may be copies they’ve forgotten about in others’ hands. A doorjamb is also an excellent addition for added security on a basement, front, or back door.
Light It Up
Darkness is a criminal’s friend. Light up the outside of your home, particularly around points of entry (again, the sides and back are prime targets for break-ins). Since you and your neighbors probably don’t want sunlight-intensity lighting all day long, look into automatic lighting that shuts on and off at certain times and lighting equipped with motion sensors. Meanwhile, set up automatic timers that flick indoor lights on and off while you’re away, giving the impression your home isn’t unguarded.
Install a Good Fence
A determined burglar won’t let any obstacle get between them and your valuables. Fortunately, most thieves aren’t that determined, and they’ll skip any home that doesn’t look like easy pickings. A tall fence with a sturdy lock is a good guard against break-ins, whether in the front or back of the house. The sight of a crook attempting to hurdle over a fence of any size is a red flag for your neighbors and any police passing by, and a fence can slow down criminals long enough for them to be caught on camera (which is a good idea to install as well).
Form a Neighborhood Watch
When considering ways to keep your home safe from break-ins, think of your neighbors’ homes as well. Security is a community effort, so enlist your next-door neighbors and beyond in patrolling the street where you live. Let each other know when you’re out of town or otherwise away for an extended period. Report suspicious activity to the authorities, and keep each other apprised of any unusual occurrences that could signal criminal activity. The key word is watch, of course, which means keeping an eye on each other.