Burglary Prevention Tips

Each year, more than five million homes are broken into, and burglars steal more than $4 billion worth of property, according to Protecting Your Life, Home and Property, by Capt. Robert Snow, 1995. While no home can be made burglar-proof, there are some relatively simple things you can do to keep your home safe.

1. Install deadbolts. Standard spring-operated locks can be opened with a credit card. But burglars can’t defeat a deadbolt lock because it has a solid metal bar that fits into the door jamb. The metal deadbolt should extend at least an inch past the edge of the door to be effective.
2. Purchase a high-quality door. A strong door has a solid, versus hollow, core. A metal-sheathed door is best.
3. Install a monitored burglar alarm. Features vary widely, and can include perimeter sensors, glass-break sensors, heat and motion sensors and audible alarms.
4. Secure windows and glass doors. Install specially made locks for windows and secure sliding glass doors with a broomstick in the door track.
5. Get a dog. Barking dogs bring unwanted attention to a prowler.
6. Go light. Install flood lights around your home to give burglars fewer places to hide. Motion sensitive lights could catch a thief by surprise. Timers on inside or outside lights give the impression that you are at home.
7. If your neighborhood does not have a Neighborhood Watch program, start one.
8. Keep your garage door locked. Many thieves can enter the home easily through the garage door. So don’t skimp on the quality of the door and use a deadbolt lock between the garage and the house.
9. Leave your radio or TV on when you are out. The sound of voices could deter potential intruders.
10. Ensure that your basement windows are secure. This is a popular entry point for burglars.

Don’t be one of the five million homes that is robbed. Follow these 10 steps for burglary prevention and you’ll have a safer home.