Imagine coming home from vacation only to find that someone broke into your home. You don’t only lose your belongings, but your peace of mind as well.
This scenario happens to thousands of people every year. You can buy a new television, but personal items that hold sentimental value, such as wedding rings and passed-down jewelry, are impossible to replace.
Another thing that’s impossible to replace is your feeling of security. Knowing that someone violated your home carries a heavy psychological burden.
Do you want to know how to deter burglars? Read on for actionable tips that you can take today.
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1. Lock Your Doors And Windows
This tip sounds simple, but it’s surprising how many people leave their doors unlocked when making a quick trip to the store. Those quick trips are all it takes for someone to break into your home and get out with electronics and jewelry.
Criminals tend to look for easy targets, and often test a door quickly to see if they can get in. If you lock your doors and windows, burglars are going to move on to the next house.
2. Don’t Overshare Online
The last time you went on vacation, did you let everyone on your Facebook timeline know about it in advance? Were you posting pictures of your family while on vacation?
You might consider these types of social media posts cute, but criminals view them as an open invitation to your home. Burglars look for easy targets. Telling these crooks that you aren’t home makes your house a prime candidate for a break-in.
The same logic applies when you’re at work or on a day-trip. If you make posts about your job, you’re letting criminals know your schedule.
You might think that this information is safe online because only your friends and family see it. There are two problems with this. First, if your privacy settings aren’t right, anyone can look up your Facebook and Twitter pages.
Second, do you know all your Facebook friends, or do you accept anyone that sends a friend request? Burglars are tech-savvy. Smart criminals send requests on social media to people that live around them so they can find out when and where to strike.
3. Keep Your Home’s Exterior Well Lit
If you want to know how to deter burglars, you have to think as they do. If you were going to break into a home, would you go after a well-lit house?
Lights serve two purposes. First, they give the appearance that someone is home. Second, they increase the chances that a neighbor will see a burglar and call the police. Burglars know that it’s harder for the police to catch them once they leave your home. The ten minutes they are inside your home poses the most risk for them.
Light up the outside of your home so that burglars know there’s a higher chance of someone catching them in the act. The idea is to make your home less appealing than someone else’s.
4. Have Someone Pick Up Your Mail
A mailbox full of letters and a front porch with packages on it let burglars know that you aren’t home. Old mail is one of the easiest things for a burglar to check to see if someone is on vacation.
Ask a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member to pick up your mail while you’re on vacation. If you’re expecting a package, have someone get it for you.
If a burglar notices a package outside of a home for longer than a day, they might decide to steal it. Once they’re on your porch, there’s a good chance they’ll try to break into your home.
You might think that suspending mail service while you’re on vacation is a good idea, but it’s not. Burglars look for patterns. If they notice a change, they’ll assume that you’re about to leave your home for a while.
Most of the time, people burglarize homes close to where they live or work. They’re able to sit back and watch people’s movements. If you stop getting mail, a professional criminal will notice.
5. Install A Home Security System
Having a security system with signage lets criminals know that there’s a greater chance of them getting caught in the act of a burglary. The signage lets criminals know that your home isn’t an easy target and that it’s monitored even if you are away.
The security system protects your home if a burglar still decides to break in. The security company can notify the police if someone enters your home. An audible alarm also sounds if someone breaks in. Often the attention that an audible alarm sound scares off someone before they can look for items of value.
The cost of an alarm system pales to the amount of money the average person loses during a burglary. The average property loss of a break-in is $2,251. It’s impossible to calculate the emotional toll.
Knowing How To Deter Burglars Isn’t Enough
Even the best deterrence strategy can fail. Knowing how to deter burglars doesn’t guarantee that one won’t break into your home. A desperate burglar could decide that the risk is worth it, regardless of how prepared you are.
If you want to protect yourself against theft and other types of loss, let our professionals walk you through the different types of coverage we have. For less than $10 dollars a month, you can protect your belongings and have peace of mind next time you leave your home.
Contact us today for more information about adding a personal articles floater to your policy.