Odd that in spite of the many steps taken in the security sector and decades after the first deadbolt locks, home break-ins constitute a large percentage of domestic crimes in Canada. Of course, no one would expect that the presence of better high-security door locks will mark the end of home burglaries. But when the percentage of break-ins is high while most homes are equipped with high-tech security systems, it’s strange that most invasions happen just because people don’t lock doors and windows.
Number one home security tip: lock your doors, change habits
If you are not going to lock, why get locks? When you start to seriously think of ways to prevent home break-ins, you need to start from the obvious. You need to ask yourself if you are doing the obvious. That’s to lock, for starters. That’s to also have good doors and good windows, tempered glass, the entry point locks replaced often, the back and the side doors locked too, good patio door locks as well – the obvious.
There are plenty of entry points in an average family home – ground and upper floor doors and windows. Often, basement windows too. And they are found all around the house, not only in the front. All these entry points in your house may easily become the targeted entry point of a burglar, especially if you don’t lock.
You need to understand that oftentimes burglars study their target homes and homeowners. They watch how they behave in their everyday life and know if you leave the door unlocked to pop to the neighbor’s home for a while. They know if you leave the garage door open during the weekends and go inside to take a nap. If they learn your habits, they know the weak points and how to get in.
And so, our number one home break-in prevention tip today is a combination of things – mainly don’t stick to habits that may invite a stranger in and don’t leave anything unlocked, even if you think that it’s absolutely safe.
Tip number two, home break-ins happen during the day
We are afraid of the dark because criminals usually strike at night when we cannot see and are taken by surprise. Home break-ins usually happen during the day. That’s because most burglars want to come in, steal, and go and not bump into you. And so, they usually strike when you are not home. What can you do about that? Of course, you cannot stay at home all day just to deter burglars but you can use deterrents to keep them off your land.
The good thing with new technology is that you can be home even if you are not. And there’s no need to have a smart home to do that. All you need is some security cameras and systems. There are quite a lot of intercoms and phone entry systems for all residential needs today. With such systems and apps, you can monitor your home from afar and have all movements recorded.
One of the common pieces of advice often given to people who wanted to protect their homes from burglars has always been to make some noise indoors so that the burglars will be discouraged to get in. Nowadays and if your home is a little bit smart, you can turn on the lights or the radio if you see something you don’t like on your smartphone via the surveillance cameras – to make the burglars jump. Of course, there are all sorts of motion detectors that will automatically turn the lights on or set the alarm off.
Tip number three, trick – don’t provoke burglars
You cannot really know if your house has ever been targeted or will be targeted. Affluent neighborhoods grab the attention of burglars but it’s often easier to break into poorer homes, where there’s only a bad quality lock keeping them out.
But since the experience of a home break-in is bad and since the whole effort is to keep burglars out, you have no other choice but to take precautions even if it’s never needed.
For the most effective results, you need to do a combination of things. Of course, you need high-security locks at all windows and entry doors. As we said, it’s vital that you lock. But you also need a variety of deterrents, from alarms and a CCTV system to motion sensors. And the good news is that new technology offers solutions and choices.
But as we said in the beginning, this is all good when you do what people have always done to avoid burglaries. Don’t provoke burglars by leaving the home unlocked and do try to trick them by fooling them about the times you are actually home and when you are not. Technology plays a part in all that; common sense too.