Make Your Home Less Vulnerable to Break-ins.
Here's ways you can make your home safer and less vulnerable to theft.
Don’t put boxes of expensive items by the curb: This advertises that you have something worth stealing. Keep them in garage until trash day. And don’t leave mail or newspapers piled up in mailbox or at end of driveway. Take your name off the mailbox: It’s easy with the Internet to find your home number and see if you’re home – even while sitting in a car parked down the block using a PDA. Consider delisting yourself from Internet phone directories. Put motion-sensor lights outside: Look for ones with adjustable sensitivity to avoid getting a false alarm from fluttering tree branches. Keep the exterior of house illuminated on all sides (using energy efficient compact fluorescents and LEDs where possible). Landscaping: Shrubs can be a deterrent to getting into the house, but keep them and trees pruned well enough that burglars can’t hide there. Keep tree branches pruned up to 6 feet off ground and shrubs down to 3 feet. Consider placing thorny shrubs beneath windows; and make sure neighbors can see into your yard. Ensure windows can be locked or pinned: There are several ways to do this. For instance, with double-hung windows, drill a small hole in a 45 degree angle between inner and outer frames and insert nails that can be removed. Consider Safety and Security Window Films: 3M makes window films that it says are resistant to penetration and tearing. These can go on windows nearest to vulnerable areas, such as doors, and make access more difficult. Doors: Many police departments recommend all outside doors should be metal or solid wood and have sturdy, well-installed dead bolt locks. Don’t give obvious clues: Turn down the telephone ringer when no one is home. Burglars can hear you aren’t there. Make the house seem like someone is home: Put lamps or radios on timers that have a random mode so the pattern isn’t predictable. Go high tech: Consider investing in an alarm system; a growing number of these you can control from your cellphone or PDA. Take inventory: Video record each room to prove what was in there for a police report. List all serial numbers of expensive electronic items in one place.