How to Burglar-Proof Your Home

According to the US Department of Justice, one American home is burglarized every eight seconds.  The greatest weapons against burglary are light, time, and noise. It is a lot harder for a burglar to break into a home that has a well-lit yard, and that is difficult or noisy to enter.

Your homeowners or renter’s insurance can protect you from all kinds of losses, including theft or burglary. Call our office today to get a no-obligation review of all your personal insurance. 

Here are some steps you can take to burglarproof your home and safeguard your belongings:

Secure All Doors and Windows Whenever You Leave Your Home.  Sounds simple, but failing to lock all doors and windows when leaving home, is one of the most common mistakes leading to home robberies.

Leave a Light on in One or Two Rooms When You Leave Your House at Night. This will give your home the appearance of being occupied when you are away.

When on Vacation, Rely on a Trusted Friend. Tell them where you will be and how to reach you.  Ask them to pick up your mail, newspapers, handbills, litter, packages, or anything else that would make it appear that you are not home.

Leave a Radio Playing on a Talk or News Station. This will make it sound like someone is home.

Never Open Your Door to a Stranger. Home invasions are becoming more commonplace. Sounds simple, but too many people will allow strangers into their homes posing as power company representatives, or other utility company workers.  Ask for identification, and if you are still in doubt, call the company for verification before letting anyone inside.  Keep your door closed and locked unless you know who is on the other side of it.

Always Keep Your Shades and Drapes Drawn at Night. A lighted house with open drapes is like a fishbowl at night, exposing its contents to every passerby.

Keep Your Home Well Lit. Mount exterior lights out of reach, in your yard and on your home.

Use Deadbolts.  Discourage burglars by making it time-consuming to break into your home. Simple security devices such as deadbolts, window grates, and alarm systems will usually scare away any burglar.

Install an Alarm System. Noise is the number one deterrent for burglars. The most effective ones are the systems that will ring at an outside service, who will then contact the police.