1. Look for vulnerable spots. Walk around your home’s exterior with an eye out for windows that could be easily pried open or ones with a clear view of your flat-screen TV and other valuables. Better yet, contact your local police department to see if they offer a home security check. They’ll scour your home, inside and outside, and alert you to weak points.
2. Lock doors and windows. The Burglary Prevention Council says first-floor windows are entry points in 23% of home break-ins.³ Tip: Install a wireless alarm kit. For $25, you’ll get an alarm that sounds if a window is opened – and added peace of mind.
3. Landscape strategically. Think thorny rose bushes under easy-to-access windows. And trim your shrubs so thieves can’t hide behind them. Gravel walkways and driveways also work well to signal an unwanted visitor.
4. Put up a fence. Chain-link or ornamental metal fences secured by concrete pillars work best to keep intruders out. Solid fences with pointed tops are another good option.
5. Install double-key deadbolts. According to the Burglary Prevention Council, 34% of all intruders let themselves in through the front door.3 Double-key deadbolts take two keys, one to enter and one to exit, so they’re more secure.
6. Upgrade doors and locks. Thick wood doors are hard to kick in and can thwart a break-in. For doors with windows that can be broken, install a floor lock to keep a burglar from reaching in and unlocking the door.
7. Install motion sensor lighting. Motion detectors are excellent deterrents. Position them at entrances and dark spots around your home’s perimeter. Live in an apartment with a dark parking lot or hallway? Ask your landlord to update the lighting in common areas.
8. Invest in a home security system. One of the most foolproof ways to prevent a burglary is to install a home alarm system. Or you can go one step further and install security cameras, preferably with night vision and a hard drive to store video recordings.
9. Secure sliders. Sliding glass doors tend to be easy to unlock and slide open. The solution? Stick a broom handle in the track to keep it secure.
10. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Play it safe in case your computer is stolen and back it up. Then stash your hard drive somewhere unexpected, like a kitchen cabinet or linen closet. Ditto for any cash in the house. Snap pictures of valuables and record model numbers and purchase prices in case you need to file a claim.
11. Get a safe. Precious jewels, passports and other important documents belong in a fireproof safe, preferably built into a wall or bolted to the floor.
12. Change the locks. Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, it’s a good practice to periodically change the locks. You have no way of knowing how many keys were issued or copies made for the old locks.
13. Reinforce windows. Small windows are easy targets for burglars, especially at the basement level. To make them less vulnerable, install safety glass or metal bars.
14. Don’t advertise. Going out of town for an extended period? Don’t tell the world on social media or even leave a message on your outgoing voicemail. Both moves make you easy prey for computer-savvy burglars.
15. Have a neighbor check-in. Even better, pay them to house-sit. They can use your trash cans, take in your mail, newspapers and packages, and leave tire tracks in your driveway and footprints on your front walkway. Any signs of life help avert a break-in. Note: Don’t leave your spare key under a mat. Give it to your neighbor or stow it in a combination lockbox in a discreet place.
16. Put timers on lights. Use timers that automatically turn on lamps in select rooms after dark. Set outdoor lights to turn on in the evening.
17. Lock your garage door. And if you have one, disconnect the automatic door opener. Garage doors are an easy access point if they remain unlocked while you’re away, even for a few days.
18. Leave a radio on. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to create the illusion that someone’s home.

Additional Tips

1. Don't hide a key outdoors. Chances are an experienced thief will find it. A better solution is to install a keypad lock on your door if you need to make your home accessible to family members.
2. Be cautious with packaging.  Packaging for expensive and larger purchases left at the curbside on recycling day is an invitation to thieves who may drive by your home before they decide to break in. Flatten the boxes, cut them into smaller pieces with a box cutter, and bundle them together with the labels facing inside before you place them out for collection.
3. Create a home inventory list.  A list of valuables is a precaution everyone should take for theft and property damage. It may be difficult to remember all of the items in your home that may have been stolen during a break-in. The home inventory will help when submitting a police report and insurance claim. Click here to learn more about creating your home inventory.

What to Do After a Home Burglary

If the unthinkable happens and your home is broken into, avoid the impulse to go inside in case the burglar is still there. Call the police immediately from your cell phone or a neighbor’s house. And remember not to touch anything. Fingerprints help solve crimes.

Original article and sources: The Andover Companies, an insurance company represented by Baldwin | Welsh & Parker

¹https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/property-crime

²https://www.alarms.org/burglary-statistics/

³https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/how-to-stop-break-ins

Additional sources:

https://www.moneycrashers.com/how-to-prevent-home-burglary-house-break-in/

https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/securing-your-home-from-burglary/

https://www.safety.com/8-burglar-deterrents-to-consider-and-5-to-avoid/