Locksmith ServiceSecurity Measures to Prevent Burglaries
Not many people understand that inadequate home security measures are responsible for the ease of burglary around the country. Listening to the confessions of an erstwhile burglar the other day, it was clear that porous home security is a major drawback to resolve.
Avoid Open Views Into Your Home
As the first line of safety, your home should not be so easy for anyone to view without any hurdles. According to Tim Stickmen, when he first learned to break into people’s houses, he was taught the need to have a complete view of each target. When the view is unclear, it becomes difficult to attempt a break-in. Each burglar attempts to gain as much insight as possible about a property before planning an attack. Are there blinds on your windows and glass doors? This is important because no one can see right into your living room if there are blinds obstructing the view. However, someone might say it is not reasonable to keep the blinds closed all day. This is true but whenever you are going to be away, make sure your blinds are in place or partially obstructing a complete view.
Use Burglar Proofs To Prevent Window Access
It's a good idea to update the locks on your windows to stop burglars from climbing in. Windows are a common point of entry and often their locks are older or less high tech than the door locks. Even if your windows are on the second floor, they could be an invitation to rob your house if the burglar can see the latches are old or out of date. Another idea is to simply put bars on your windows. This is a very effective burglary prevention strategy, and also a good idea if you have young kids that like to climb furniture around the windows. We understand that this is your home and not a prison, but there is no rule that says your bars have to be straight lines. In fact, many of the most effective bars are crafted to be appealing, look more natural and to enhance your overall home design.
Apart from windows, doors can also be burglar-proofed in ways that turn a simple breach into a project. According to Tim, most thieves are not professionals and therefore prefer soft targets that are quick and easy to access and escape. The more time consuming or challenging a burglary is, the less likely opportunists will choose that house as their target (except in rare cases).
Install Home Burglar Alarm System
Apart from ensuring that an outsider can't easily look into your home, there are plenty of other methods of burglary prevention that can be helpful as well. When Tim was asked how thieves get around home alarm systems, he volunteered some great advice: According to Tim, house alarms scare away most thieves. They don't know if it will cause the neighbors to come running, or the police. Some home alarm systems trigger a notification or cameras to start recording and sending messages to your phone so the police can catch and identify the thief later. Some are even linked to private security companies and the security guards are armed and on-site within minutes. But at the very least, the loud noise is noticeable and attracts more attention than they would like. Only the most brazen or professional burglars are not deterred by residential alarm systems, and this is usually because they are well equipped and have planned the burglary down to the last detail ahead of time. These kinds of home invasions are far less common though.
While there are different types of intruder alarm systems that can be installed in your home, ensuring that the access is restricted is always advised. Tim explained that it is not easy to stumble on a building and attempt to break-in. Most thieves will survey a house for a few hours or a few days until they've taken a good measure of the place and if the risks outweigh the potential gains.
What You Need to Remember
Tim the thief also elaborated on other "opportunities" that make it easier for burglars to hit home and make a clean getaway. Such as when homeowners leave a window or a large doggie door open or unlocked. Sometimes, homeowners also make it so evident that no one is at home and when this is the case, a burglary can be imminent. A failure to switch the security lights on means that when night falls the entire building will be dark. If this continues for more than a night, it sends a message that no one is possibly around.
Another common mistake people make is to keep the keys in a spot that is easy to guess. For example, some make a habit of leaving their keys under the doormat. This according to Tim is easy to guess and an amateur burglar could easily spot this. Rather than leave your home open to burglary, making duplicate keys are inexpensive and you can provide your partner or housemate with the duplicates.
Helpful Tips
- Make sure all your access points are closed and locked every time you leave the house. This includes doors, windows, doggy doors, and garage doors.
- Leave a few houselights or a TV on when you leave the house to give the impression that someone is home.
- Your blinds should be partially or completely closed when you are out or asleep to obstruct an outsider’s view into your home
- If you are going on vacation, ask a neighbor to keep an eye on the place and ask the post office to hold your mail until you get back so it doesn't pile up in your mailbox.
- You can also arrange to get someone to work on your lawns if you are going to be away for a longer holiday. This will ensure that your garden doesn’t become overgrown by weeds
- Make sure that your intruder alarms are always working and up to date with the latest technology, especially before traveling.
