When you think about the security of your home and burglary prevention, often the first items that come to mind are high-tech, such as security systems and cameras. But what are some additional tools that would help to protect your home?
Why is this a good time of year to start to consider security and burglary prevention?
1. At this time of year we start to see snowbirds leave town. It’s a good idea for them to consider the safety of their home before they leave town and have their home unattended for several months.
2. People are starting to plan summer vacations. It’s not uncommon for people to leave for extended times during the warmer summer months, so you can put your to do list together now and have your home ready prior to your vacation.
3. This is the height of home project season -- it can go along with spring cleaning.
So, let’s start with the outside. How do you make your home less attractive to potential burglars?
1. Landscaping
a. Bushes -- Hedges and large bushes might look nice, but they are great hiding places, so keep them away from the house and away from windows/doors. You don’t want to provide a place to hide while they work on breaking the windows/doors or a place to hide while they wait for you to arrive home. If you can hide behind your bushes, time to trim.
b. Prickly plants -- Cactus or other prickly plants are great to install under windows to prevent someone from wanting to break them and then climb through.
c. Gravel -- It’s great to have a gravel walkway along the sides of your home. If someone jumps the fence and is walking along the sides of your home, it will provide additional noise. It’s much louder to walk on gravel than to walk on grass or dirt.
d. Rocks -- Don’t have river rock, especially near windows. These make for a great tool to break windows. Oftentimes burglars break windows and the neighbors will stop to listen because they think they heard something, but if they don’t hear a follow-up noise, they’ll think they were just hearing things. It’s human nature to stop and listen, but with no follow-up noise, they will move along.
2. Exterior lighting -- Lighting is your friend and a burglar’s enemy
a. Put exterior lights on a timer and have them operate from dusk to dawn nightly.
b. Landscape lighting throughout your front and backyard.
c. Install motion sensor lights in side and backyards.
3. Front Ddoor issue -- We all get flyers and marketing material distributed to our front door. If your front door looks like a collection of flyers, it’s a big clue to burglars that no one has been home for a while.
a. Have someone you trust check your front door every few days to remove any paper items or deliveries.
