Burglars are a different breed of thieves. Their major objective is to make away with your valuables unnoticed. They are opportunists that prey on houses with weak or no security measures.
The burglar mode of operation is simple; to get in and out as quickly as possible. So, in most cases, burglars are interested in your cash, jewelries, iPads, and other small valuable items that won’t hinder mobility. A smart burglar will also avoid any item that has a serial number (to avoid tracing).
To avoid losing your valuables to common thieves, here are five ways you can make your home a fortress.
Keep Valuables Out of Sight
Typically, a burglar does not have a parked car outside your home to transport heavy utilities. So, what do they want? That would be your cash, jewelries, credit cards, and other light valuables. These are items we are prone tocarelessly leave around our homes. The best way to keep them safe is by keeping them out of plain sight.
A lot people resort to the simple method of hiding their valuables in a wardrobe. If you do this, you’re only making the job of a burglar easier (it’s the first place they look).
The best way to outwit burglars with your valuables is by getting a safe. Should a burglar succeed in entering your home, the time spent on cracking a safe is probablynot a risk they’ll be unwilling to take. They’ll normally want to simply slip-in and slip-out.
Get a Dog
Contrary to the general belief that burglars operate during the small hours, they’re most likely to creep into home between the office hours of 9am to 5pm. They’re smart enough to know that you’ll probably be at work, and your kids will at school during this period, which makes it a perfect time to break in.
To keep your empty home safe from burglary, it’ll be wise to get a dog. Your dog is bound to bark at the sight of unfamiliar faces roaming around your property, which will attract the attention of neighbours (who burglars are wary of).
Be sure to keep your dog in a room where all your valuables are while you’re away though. There have been cases where dogs were drugged by burglars, so as to aid smooth operation. Also, avoid putting your dog’s name on its tag. You’re easily selling your dog’s loyalty this way, as they can now seduce it easily. You could even end up losing your valuables and your dog.
All you want your dog to do while you’re away is to attract neighbours and passers-by to a possible break-in, so keep them locked in. And have someone take care of your dog if you are gone for more than a few hours of course. 🙂
Get a Burglar Alarm System
Homes with weak security systems are easy targets for burglars, so expect a visit if you don’t own a top-notch security system. Practicing normal safety measures like locking your doors and windows when leaving your home does not make you immune to burglary. However, a visible burglar alarm system will deter burglars.
In order to avoid being caught or identified (some security systems come equipped with CCTV), burglars avoid houses with visible security systems. If you can’t afford a state of the art security system, get a cheap or fake alarm system to put on display in order scare off burglars.
Proper Illumination
Do you know that turning your lights on can save you from burglary? Lurking in dark corners is one of the common traits of burglars, so your house is endangered if its surroundings are not well lit. There are different types of security lights, but its best to go for motion-detector ones. Unlike other security lights that stay on all the time, motion-detector lights come on when they detect movement in a specific area.
Aside from turning on the lights outside your home, you should also have your lights on while you’re away. Having interior lights that operate on timers (come on and off at set intervals) will make it appear as though you’re at home. This provides a good way to fool burglars (they prefer to creep in when no one is around).
Install Quality Locks
Like any other professional, burglars are experts at what they do. Opting for a cheap lock is as good as leaving your doors wide open for burglars, who are experts at picking locks.
Standard locks take time to crack – time a burglar does not have. On average, it takes a burglar five minutes or less to break in, so make it as difficult as possible for them.
To avoid learning the hard way, you should endeavor to seek the advice of a locksmith before identifying locks for your doors.
Finally, if you had a burglary or want to know more about how to prevent one talk to a local burglary expert. It’s almost impossible to prevent a break in at %100 but there are quite a few things you can do to almost certainty prevent it. Once a burglary has occurred It’s important to address a solution to it as soon as possible.