We all have the right to feel secure in our homes. It would be nice if we could go back to the days when we left our front door unlocked all night and never worried. Your neighbors were like extended family and looked out for you. These were the days when you put your children to bed at night assuring them that everything would be alright and they have nothing to worry about. That’s a promise any parent would like to keep.
Unfortunately we live in an unpredictable society that can make it hard to sleep peacefully at night especially when you have a family. Even the best neighborhoods have fallen victim to criminals. Times have changed and we all have to be more than prepared no matter where we live.
Not only should you lock your doors at night but you should keep them locked during the day. Many break-ins occur during the middle of the day. You should equip your home with high security door locks and updated window locks as well as an intercom, alarm system and cameras.
Along with high security, there are a few things you may want to avoid so as not to tip off a professional burglar. Most burglars know when someone isn’t home. It can seem obvious by the little things we tend to do when we are out of town.
* Don’t make it a habit to ONLY close your blinds when you are not home. Many burglars will watch a home for a while to pick up on your habits and schedule.
* Use the same outdoor lights when you are not home as you would when you are home.
* Have a neighbor put your trash can by the curb on trash day and bring it back in at night.
* Turn the ringer volume down on your home phone so no one can hear from the outside that you are not answering.
* Consider putting a “Beware of Dog” sign on your fence or leave a dog bowl or chain around the house. This will give the burglar the impression you have a dog, which usually scares burglars off.
These are just a few tips to help your home become less appealing to those who want to invade it. Once or twice a year you should walk your property looking at all windows and doors and make sure everything is up to date and secure. When it comes to your family, you can never be too safe.
