See What Burglars See

Even the best alarm system will not provide foolproof protection for your home or stop the most dedicated bad guys in their tracks. Installing a security system and posting alarm signs around your property is a good first step, but if you really want to protect your property you need to see your home through the eyes of a burglar.

Looking at your home through the dark eyes of a burglar is not an easy thing to do. After all, you are a law-abiding citizen, and the last thing you think about is how to break into an unattended home without getting caught. Even so, it is a good idea to spend some time in the mind of the average burglar, if only to determine how to protect your home. Here are some key things convicted burglars have said they looked for when choosing their targets.

2. Poor Lighting

Burglars thrive in the dark, and they look for homes with dark corners and areas of poor illumination. Even if the front and back doors are brightly lit, chances are there are some spots where the lighting is less than optimal. Take a look at those areas and think about ways to make them brighter.

Adding additional lighting to the exterior of your home will make it less of a tempting target for burglars, but that extra lighting can have an important side benefit as well. Bright exterior lighting can improve the kerb appeal of your home and even make it more valuable to would-be buyers.

3. A Poorly Maintained Garden

When burglars case a neighbourhood, they often look for homes with poorly maintained lawns and front gardens. Overgrown bushes, high grass and abundant weeds are a godsend for burglars, who can use your lack of maintenance to their advantage.

Tall grass and high weeds give burglars a place to hide, and untrimmed shrubs and bushes can shield them from passing traffic while they jimmy a window and look for a way to get inside. So do yourself a favor – get out the lawn mower, fire up the hedge trimmer and spruce up your landscape.

4. An Overflowing Mailbox

Burglars love to target homes when they know the owners are away. If you are going on holiday, be sure to ask a trustworthy neighbour to pick up your post before you pack that suitcase. An overflowing mailbox is a dead giveaway that no one is home, and you do not want to make your house a target.

5. Easy Points of Entry

Burglars look for an easy way in and out of your home, so take a look at your property and how you may be inviting the bad guys in. An open garage door is an open invitation, so always close your garage door, even when you are at home. If you have a fenced garden, make sure all the gates are closed and securely locked. Denying the bad guys easy entry is one of the best ways to protect your home and your valuables.

If you have sliding glass doors that open onto your patio or deck, make sure they are securely locked when not in use. Burglars love sliding glass doors, and they know that many homeowners fail to properly secure them.

It may not be easy, but learning to see your home through the eyes of a burglar is one of the best ways to keep your family, your home and your property safe from criminals who think they have a better use for your stuff than you do. Taking a few minutes now to do a thorough home assessment could stop your home from being a target and prevent you from becoming another crime statistic.