In today’s sometimes tumultuous society, it’s more important than ever to have our homes be and safe and secure, somewhere we can sleep soundly, and keep out the troubles of the outside world. Unfortunately, even our homes aren’t completely safe from criminals. Over 7.5 million property crimes were committed in 2017 alone (over one every 4 seconds!), and collectively they cost homeowners in the United states over $15 billion dollars.
Thankfully there are some simple steps that we can take to protect ourselves from intruders and restore our oh-so-important sense of peace and security.
Protection
If your primary concern is keeping your valuables secure, locking them in a good old-fashioned safe is a great starting point, and will easily ensure that no regular home invader will get to its contents. Unlike the bulky cast iron safes of the past, a modern option such as the Amazon Basics Home Keypad Safe is a discreet and easy way to protect valuable items like jewellery or documents. However, while a safe is a perfect home for small items that aren’t needed frequently, it’s not a convenient way to secure larger possessions or those you use daily. Your television, computer, tablet, and cell phone are all easy targets for criminals, as they resell for a high price and are too inconvenient to lock up each night. The only way to keep them safe is to keep burglars out.
High-quality locks on doors and windows are a must. Old or cheap locks can leave your property vulnerable to experienced criminals. Modern anti-snap locks are the most comprehensive option, but at a minimum, all doors and windows should be fitted with multi-point locking systems. Be sure to evaluate your house for any other potential points of entry. An unsecured outdoor cellar could render your efforts protecting the rest of your home pointless.
Beyond the front door, be sure to lock up any outdoor buildings and install a secure perimeter with a locked gate. Ultimately, burglary is a crime of opportunity, and the more barriers to entry a potential thief faces the more likely they are to simply leave.
Prevention
To a criminal, an unprotected home is an easy target. If your property appears as though it would be difficult or risky to get into, that alone will be enough to deter most would-be burglars. A visible burglar alarm company sticker is a common security feature for this reason. It showcases that a property has a home security system and a regular criminal would want to break into a house with a visible alarm fitted over a home next-door that doesn’t have any protection.
However, not all alarms are immediately visible, and not all criminals are normal. While burglar alarms are certainly a useful tool in the homeowner’s arsenal, there are other options if you are on the market for a deterrent. It’s important to consider motion activated lighting. It’s the gold standard for property crime prevention. If, in the pitch dark of night, a spotlight is suddenly shone upon a home invader sneaking through your yard, their only instinct is to run.
They know that all eyes are now on them and there is no reason to stick around any longer. Compared to other forms of home protection, motion-activated lighting is also one of the most cost-effective, hugely outperforming burglar alarms in this metric. Other, simpler ways to prevent criminals from targeting you include leaving lights on when the house is empty and considering noise-making materials like gravel when planning your yard space.
Prosecution
Sadly, no home security set-up is infallible, and break-ins do happen. It’s important to prepare for the worst, and make sure that in the event of a home invasion the perpetrator can be arrested, and your stolen goods can be returned. Security cameras are a great way to help the authorities investigate a break-in. Video footage of the thief breaking into your property can help in both tracking them down and securing a conviction down-the-line.
If you are looking to get the best system for your home, high-end security cameras now come with features such as night vision and motion-triggered recording. Sometimes, however, even a security camera recording won’t be enough to catch a burglar until after they have resold your valuables. GPS trackers installed in any high-value items are a great way to make sure you will always be able to recover them if stolen, and they conveniently double up as protection from yourself! With the help of the accompanying app or handheld receiver, you can realize that yes, you really did leave your iPad in the mall last Friday.
