Preventing Home Burglary

Each year in the United States there are more than 5 million home burglaries. Nine out of ten of these are preventable. The risk of being burglarized can be greatly reduced by taking simple steps to make your home more difficult to enter and less enticing to burglars. People’s Trust Insurance Company wants to keep you and your loved ones safe. Review these tips for best practices on preventing home burglary. 

• Make sure that exterior lights are mounted out of reach, so that burglars can’t easily unscrew bulbs. Consider buying motion-sensitive lights, which are now available at relatively low prices. Use a variable light timer to activate lights inside your home. Burglars are much more likely to break into a dark yard where they can easily hide.
• Trim trees and shrubs near doors and windows so burglars can’t hide in the shadows. Trimming tall trees or hedges can also help in preventing burglars from easily climbing these and gaining access to a second story window.
• Make it time-consuming for a burglar to break into your home by installing deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.
• Place additional locks on all windows and patio doors.
• If you can afford it, install an alarm system that will alert neighbors and the police of a burglar’s presence. Don’t share your alarm code with housekeepers, maintenance people, etc. Security system decals and signs are also an effective deterrent. A burglar who sees a yard sign while casing a neighborhood may never even approach your house, and one who gets close enough to see a security system decal may think twice before trying to enter your home.
• Always lock your doors and windows when you are home and when you go out.  Most home burglaries happen between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.
• Do not hide a spare key in an obvious location such as under a planter or doormat. Think about giving the spare key to a trustworthy neighbor instead.
• If currently using a door chain to screen visitors, consider using a peep hole that will prevent you from having to open the door to identify visitors. Never open the door for someone you don’t know that you are not expecting.
• Don’t tempt a thief – lawnmowers, barbecues, and bicycles are best stored out of site. Always keep your garden sheds and garages locked.
• Never leave notes on your door such as “gone shopping.”
• Following a routine can help you make sure your house is secure. Ensure that doors and windows are locked and security systems are activated at night. Notify the police if you see suspicious activity/persons in your neighborhood.

This Blog is sponsored by:
People’s Trust Insurance Company