Burglary Prevention

Light, Time and Noise
Light, time and noise are a homeowner’s greatest weapons in the fight to prevent a home burglary. There are more than five million home burglaries each year and nine out of ten of these crimes are preventable. The possibility is reduced by making your home difficult to enter and less inviting to the potential criminal. Preventative measures include:

• Exterior lights mounted out of reach can reduce the risk of a break-in. Motion-sensitive lights are now available at relatively low prices.
• Make it time-consuming for a burglar to break into your home by installing simple security devices such as padlocks, grates and window locks.
• Noise from barking dogs and burglar alarms can reduce the risk of a break-in.
• Think like a burglar. “Case” your house the way a burglar would and look for easy ways to enter your home. Be sure valuables such as expensive electronic devices or artwork are not visible from the street.
• Trim trees and shrubs near doors and windows so you don’t provide a convenient hiding place for a burglar.
• Don’t leave ladders or tools in the yard or in an unlocked garage or shed. Your tools could be used to break into your home.
• Examine your doors. Outside doors should be metal or solid hardwood and at least 13/4 inches thick. Frames must also be made of strong material. The best lock will not deter a burglar if it is installed in a weak door.
• Display your house number conspicuously and have it well illuminated. This will help police and emergency personnel find your home quickly, if summoned.
• Engrave your valuables with your driver’s license number to deter burglary and to prove ownership should the article be stolen and recovered by the police.
• Organize a Neighborhood Watch in your community.

For more information on residential burglary prevention, contact your local police department.