You probably think you know what criminals look like. They sneak around at night, wearing all black and looking for doors that are unlocked. They would never be found in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, this Hollywood version of home break ins is almost completely false.
While it is possible that a criminal would wear black and sneak around at night, break ins are 6% more likely to happen during the daytime. In fact, there are around 1,495,790 burglaries during the day. That’s a big statistic, and it’s one you should be concerned about. If you’re not sure how safe your home is, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Here are the 5 ways to make your home more secure.
1. Understand How Thieves Think
Your first step to secure your home is to understand exactly how thieves think. Realize that this probably isn’t the way Hollywood has led you to believe they act. In reality, the criminal might be someone you know, a neighbor, or even someone posing as a utility worker. Familiarize yourself with the most well-known home invasion scams so you’re not caught off guard.
In addition, here are some more tips to know about criminals. Most act during the day when people are less likely to be home. They’re also likely to scope out the area before committing the crime, so always report suspicious activity. Finally, you’re more likely to experience a break in if you’re renting.
2. Install a Security System
Only a small number of homes have an active security system installed, and that helps keep these homes from becoming the victim of an attack. Criminals are looking for easy targets. If you have an alarm system through Alarm Grid, you’re showing criminals that you take your security seriously. This is the most effective way to protect your home even when you’re away.
3. Lock Down Social Media
What you post online also has an affect on your home security. For instance, if your profiles online are public and you regularly post updates about your location, you might become the victim of a home invasion. Criminals look for people who are clearly away from home. So it’s worth thinking twice about posting those vacation photos while you’re still away.
4. Change Your Locks
How recently have your locks been changed? This doesn’t just apply to your front door, but any entryway to your home. If you’ve bought a home recently, make sure your locks are changed. You never know who might have access to old keys through the previous owner, and it’s better to be safe than sorry. The same goes for renters. Talk to your landlord about changing locks in between tenants.
5. Install Outdoor Lights
Finally, another effective way to keep your home safe is to install outdoor lights. Once again, criminals are looking for easy targets. If they can easily get near your home without being seen from inside or outside, you’ll be a target.
If you install outdoor lights, particularly motion-activated lights, you’ll be alerted of any suspicious activity. Similarly, neighbors can see what’s happening near your property and report anything out of the ordinary.
Protect Your Home
How safe is your home? We might think our home is safe, but is that really the case? If you’re not careful, you might end up like the many other victims of home break ins.
Keep yourself from becoming another statistic with these tips above. Even small protections will go a long way to earning your peace of mind.
