Protecting Your Home  (the basics)

This may come as a shock to some, but burglars are just as smart as you are.  Never think that you can safely hide anything of value where they won’t find it.  Fake cans, ordinary looking shoe boxes, hollowed-out rocks, or cleverly hidden drawers or even secret storage areas won’t fool them.  The professional burglar makes it their life's work to know all of the ‘secret’ or creative hiding places you could ever think of. 

So is there really anything that you can do?  Yes, you should strive to make your home a "hard target."  

Locks:

First, use your locks.  You'd be amazed at how many people simply don't lock their doors or windows.  In many instances the burglar simply opens an unlocked door or window and walks in. 

Now it is true that the professional burglar knows how to pick locks, but why make it easy for them?  Make sure your locks are in good working order and that doors fit snugly in their frames.  Install a ‘deadbolt’ lock on all entry doors (including the door to the garage). 

Deadbolts are harder to pick and take a bit more time even if they know how to pick them.  The average burglar just doesn’t want to spend much time out in the open where they can be spotted.

Extra Keys:

And while we're on the subject of locks, remember, never leave a key under a door mat or in a flower pot or that hollowed-out rock . . . they’ll find it.  If you must leave a spare key, leave it with a ‘well trusted’ neighbor, who may appreciate the same favor from you.

Neighborhood Watch:

Now just like in the "Home Alone" movies, burglars usually pick their targets in advance and watch the homes in the neighborhood to try to determine the best targets and a time when they are least likely to be noticed or when they believe that no one is at home. (A neighborhood watch can prove helpful.)
Forget the "nosey neighbor" label for a second, neighbors generally notice the 'out of place' car or truck in the neighborhood.

Lights:

One thing that most burglars try to avoid is light (after all, that trusted neighbor of yours might spot them).  Make sure to keep outdoor lights functional, and if you can afford it, lights on motion detectors work very well.  Imagine someone creeping up to your back door and all the lights coming on when the get within ten feet!  Chances are, they will look for a different house. 

Use timers on inside lights, program the timers so the lights cycle on and off at different times throughout various rooms of your house or apartment.  Also be sure to put your radio or TV on a timer too, or at least leave your alarm clock radio set to go off at its normal times.

Camera:

In this age of miniature (low-cost) video technology, a video surveillance system should be considered.  Cameras on the outside serve as a deterrent (make sure they are mounted high out of reach).  Cameras on the inside are a great idea because they can be easily hidden inside ordinary objects and not noticed until it is too late.  You will want to make sure that the ‘password protected’ recording unit is well hidden and bolted solidly to something big and immovable.  The best systems however, are the new Internet video surveillance system that can be monitored and recorded from virtually anywhere in the world.  Of course you can also consider a professional alarm service.

Action:

Technology is making it increasingly more challenging for the professional burglar these days, but like any profession, they keep up, so you need to stay alert.  Take action to ensure that your home is not the easiest target on the block!