Statistics show that a home burglary occurs in the United States every 16 seconds. A burglary is a property theft crime that most often occurs when homeowners are not at home. Even homes in seemingly safe neighborhoods can be burglarized. The key to staying protected against home burglary is to understand how to minimize your exposure.
The first thing to do is to take an objective look around your home and property. Check at night to see what the home looks like. The single biggest factor in reducing burglaries is to provide adequate outdoor lighting. Use landscape lights around the home. Install a motion sensor light at every door and a floodlight that is sensor activated at the garage. If you have a rear entrance make sure that it also has adequate lighting.
If you will be away from home after dark use timers to turn lights on and off. The sure sign of nobody home is a dark house. Set timers to different times each day. Most burglaries occur by someone who has taken the time to watch your home and knows your schedule. Keep them guessing by using timers throughout the home.
Check the doors to make sure that they have deadbolt locks. This can prevent someone from easily kicking in the door or prying it open with a screwdriver. Make sure that windows are locked and protected against entry. Never leave expensive items near windows where they can be seen from outside. If you have expensive jewelry or coins keep them in a safe or away from the home in a safety deposit box.
To keep you and your family safe the easiest option is to choose a home security system. Home security systems range greatly in what they can do. The simplest systems provide an alarm that sounds if someone enters without putting in the code into the keypad. The keypad is located near each door and is used to set the alarm when leaving and to disarm the alarm when coming home. Systems can be programmed to call the security center when an unauthorized person enters the home. The security center is manned 24 hours a day and will contact the police.
The newest home security systems add more technology. You can now program your alarm using a simple remote control device or by accessing your account online. Add surveillance cameras to your property so that you can view the entranceways of your home from a closed circuit television. You can also view your cameras online from any computer located anywhere in the world.
Make sure that your home security system is properly installed and keep it maintained. The small monthly fee is well worth the peace of mind you’ll have knowing that your home is well protected. Use the signs that come with security systems. These alone help deter burglars who will prefer to choose a home without any security system. When you have a system be sure to use it. If the system is too complicated you may not take the time to turn it on each time. Finally, test your alarm every so often to ensure that it is working properly.