Think Like a Burglar

Your home is your sanctuary. The most important people in your life live there. Many of your most treasured possessions are probably displayed or used in your home. While it is true that “things” can be replaced it is important to take steps to protect your home and prevent theft. One of the best ways to do that is to think like a burglar. Burglars tend to look for the easiest targets. By keeping your home secure and making it tougher to access, you increase the odds that thieves will go elsewhere. The Insurance Information Institute says you can make your home less burglar-friendly with a few easy steps.
  • Take a good look at your home and the ways you would get in if you wanted to rob it. Focus on entry points including doors, windows, pet doors, and bulkheads. Those are the spots that deserve reinforcement and coverage from your security system.
  • Since burglars love the dark, examine the exterior lighting around your home. If you do not have proper exterior lighting, consider installing motion detection lighting at the front and rear of your home. It could be just enough to scare away an intruder.
  • Look for easy hiding spots around your property that may make it easier for a thief to hide. Consider trimming bushes or shrubs away from windows that give good cover to someone who doesn’t want to be seen.
  • Remember not to leave telltale signs that you are not home like: a dark house, piled up newspapers, several days worth of mail in the box, or even unplowed snow in the driveway. If you are going to be away, arrange for a “stop” on the mail and deliveries, ask a neighbor to shovel your walkway/driveway and set up automatic lights to make the house look lived in.
  • Add a security system to your home. Security systems can integrate with your carbon monoxide detectors and fire alarm systems and give you peace of mind while you are away from your home. Some systems can even be hooked up to a smart home system that will allow you to turn lights on and off as well as remotely view the property from your smartphone.
Thinking like a burglar may help you protect the most important people and things in your life. Call Roy Spittle Associates to discuss how we can install or provide the needed electrical know-how to hook up a security system, which could benefit your property.