In at least one important way, burglars are like you and I: none of us wants to work any harder than is really necessary. Using that tremendous psychological insight into the criminal mind 😉 , we can take some easy measures to make a burglar’s job just a little bit harder, and that may be all that is needed to prevent many break-ins.
Lock it Up
This one seems obvious, but sometimes the obvious escapes us. Are you sure you’re locking every entrance, or just the door you’re exiting? A thief will check every door and window for an opening to get in. That includes bulkhead doors and windows into back storage areas that may give free access to the rest of the home. Don’t leave a key on the premises. No matter how clever you think your hiding place is, it’s been used before and it’s probably common knowledge among burglars. They’ll check, and they’ll find it. Instead, leave that key with a friend or neighbor.
Bump keys are like a modern version of the old skeleton key for 90% of door locks on the market. Normally used by locksmiths to get you back into your home, thieves are getting hold of them to stage break-ins. You can avoid this risk by installing locks designed not to work with bump keys, or you can install a keyless door entry with an electronic keypad.
Burglars also know the places people leave their valuables and will head straight for your sock or underwear drawer or freezer. Instead keep them in a fireproof safe (one that’s bolted down) in the house or in a safe deposit box at your bank.
Light it Up and Clear it Out
Thieves see darkness as an opportunity to observe a house before they decide to break in. Don’t let them hide in the shadows. Install motion detector lights that will expose them as soon as they’re close to your entry doors or the hidden corners of your exterior. Another hiding place is the hedges and trees dotting your landscape. By keeping them trimmed short, burglars have a harder time hiding and tracking your comings and goings. Even having a dog in your house is a deterrent because it’s just one more hoop to jump through when trying to enter your house undetected.
Get Others Involved
Neighborhoods who make real communities are thieves’ worst nightmares because they know that everyone is watching each other’s backs. If your neighbor knows your schedule, then they’ll notice if something is amiss at your home.
Hiring a security company is another way to get others involved in keeping your home safe. They have the tools and know-how to thwart burglars’ attempts at breaking into your home with alarm systems, monitoring tools and trained employees to contact when the need arises.
For home security systems in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk and the Outer Banks, contact Johns Brothers Security.