If you own your own home, or even if you rent, one of the things you hope never happens to you is to be burgled. You feel violated, unsafe and it can have a long-lasting effect on you, especially psychologically. Burglars aren’t fussy; they will target anywhere and anyone. As long as it’s easy, they will go for it.
One thing you can do is to try and make your home less appealing and a harder target so as to give yourself a better chance of not being targeted, so let’s look at some of the things you can do so that burglars hopefully leave you alone.
1. Spot Your Own Vulnerabilities
This may seem like a simple and possibly ridiculous exercise, but don’t knock it because it can be quite effective. Lock yourself out and start to think like a burglar. Now that you’ve been “locked out”, start thinking of how you can “break in”. If you step into their shoes, you may know what it’s like, so try to think creatively of how you can get back in.
Are there open windows? Is there a trash can that you can climb to give you access to an entry point? Is there a place that should be lit, but isn’t? You may even see a point of access that you would never have even thought about. If you find any unsecure areas, you should contact a professional locksmith to ensure your doors and locks are properly secure.
2. Going Away? Don’t Leave Clues
If you’re going away for a few days, arrange to have newspapers stopped for this period. Speak to a neighbour about collecting flyers and mail so that nothing gathers, giving the impression that nobody is at home. Consider getting lights that work on timers so that they come on and off at intervals, giving the impression that someone is at home.
3. Lock Ladders
You may have a ladder that’s too large to fit into your shed, or you might have completely overlooked the fact that your ladder is outside. Try to secure your ladder to the wall. Use special brackets to do this and lock the ladder to the wall. The last thing you want is to play a part in helping the perpetrator.
4. Keep Sheds Secure
If you have a shed, make sure it’s locked. You may want to install an alarm system in the shed as well. The shed is bound to be full of tools that a burglar can use to break in. Simple tools can help a burglar. A hammer can break glass or a padlock. Another tool could keep a window propped open for easy entry and exit.
5. Garage
The garage is a good place for a burglar to do their work. Make sure your garage doors are secure and hopefully, they don’t have any glass windows. If they do, hopefully it’s frosted, otherwise, before being burgled, a burglar could peek through to see what you have and where an entry point is. If they have time to plan, it’s just going to be so much easier for them. A garage normally has an entry point into your home and garages are always targeted, so be extra careful.
Make sure everything is well lit and if you can, use timers on your lights. Don’t leave keys anywhere like under a mat or in a flower pot. Don’t have your name and address on your keychain. If you lose it, someone can call to say they found it and lure you away while they simply walk in and walk out. Make it difficult for burglars. Burglars are smart; if they think it’s too much of a hassle, they’ll move on to an easier target.