Tuesday tips for preventing crime: Golden rule

If there’s a golden rule of crime prevention, it’s this: Make yourself a difficult target!

It’s not necessary to have the most secure home in the country, just the most secure home on the block.  Criminals who burglarize homes are looking for quick, easy scores, not challenges.

Unlike the sophisticated criminals who are often portrayed in the movies, most home invasions are crimes in which the items taken are small, portable, untraceable items like iPods, video game systems, jewelry, collectibles, and other items that are easily converted into cash.

Fortunately, by following the home security tips listed below, you can make your house unattractive to home burglars and send them looking elsewhere for an easier opportunity. That’s why the home security experts at Monitronics want to remind you of practical, common sense steps you can take to protect your home and your belongings this fall.

Tip #1 – Lock Doors and Windows When Nobody’s Home

It may seem obvious, but 30% of all home robberies are classified as “unlawful entries,” which means that the thieves enter the house through an unlocked door or window and don’t have to use force in order to break-in.

Make it a habit to secure all doors and windows every time you leave the house.  Even leaving home for a few minutes to go to the store provides enough time for thieves to break in and walk out with your belongings.

Tip #2 – Alert Neighbors When Going On Vacation

Multiple newspapers in the yards, a mailbox overflowing with mail, even the unanticipated advertising doorhanger that’s placed on your door can all serve as signals to criminals that your house is vacant.  Arranging for someone to monitor these services and pick up the papers, mail, and advertising flyers can help your house maintain that “lived-in” look that will cause criminals to keep searching for a better target.

Also, a neighbor who knows you’re out of town will also know that you won’t be receiving any “deliveries” from thieves posing as moving or home maintenance companies and can report any suspicious activity to the police.

Tip #3 – Use Interior and Exterior Lights to Frustrate Potential Thieves

Though most home invasions occur during the daytime, placing interior lights on a timer when you’re away can raise doubts in the mind of a thief who may be casing the neighborhood at night looking for vacant houses.  Today’s timers range from the simple designs that turn the lights on and off at pre-set times to more sophisticated models that will actually learn your lighting habits and mimic them when you’re away.

Also, illuminating all potential entry areas and areas that are hidden in shadows will frustrate any criminal who might be counting on using the cover of darkness to his advantage. Motion activated lights are also very effective at serving the dual purpose of illuminating dark areas and calling attention to someone who may be prowling around.

Tip #4 – Remove the Cover for Burglars

Recently in Scotland, two thieves tunneled into a cell phone store from the street outside.  What provided them the cover to do this?  A mattress that they leaned up against the wall.  The mattress served the dual purpose of concealing them from surrounding apartment buildings and muffled the sound that was created by digging through a two foot thick wall.

While most American homes don’t have mattresses propped up against the exterior walls, they do have other types of cover in the forms of overgrown trees, bushes, and shrubs or even landscape accessories, such as trellises which can provide burglars with the necessary camouflage to safely pry open a window or pick the lock on a door.

Tip #5 – Install a Home Security System

Even by following all of the advice above, your house, because of its natural location or surroundings, may still be vulnerable to burglary and require the additional protection provided by a home security system.

Houses with home security systems are two to three times less likely to be broken into than houses without systems.  With the advances in wireless home security technology, even houses that were not pre-wired for home security systems can easily have one installed.

By following these simple guidelines, you can keep yourself and your belongings safe all year long.