How to Stop Burglars from Targeting Your Home

For homeowners, home security is a top priority. If you want to safeguard your property and have peace of mind, you must know how to stop burglars from targeting your home. According to the FBI, about 1.7 million burglaries occur every year in the USA, and most of those crimes are residential crimes. Burglars do not take a long time to rob your home, and that is why you should take proper precautionary measures.

However, if you are wondering how to stop burglars from targeting your home, you can use some simple and effective ways to protect your home. It is not possible to stop them altogether, but you can significantly reduce the likelihood. If you spend some time to take some measure, you can effectively safeguard your home. Read on to know how to stop burglars from targeting your home.

Install home security cameras

Security cameras can greatly help you protect your home. If you install these cameras, you can effectively prevent home break ins. You home will be 300% safer if you just install security systems.

But how do security cameras work? When burglars see security cameras, they do not make an attempt to break into your home, knowing that you are serious about protecting your property. Security cameras also have audio alarms, so burglars do not take any risk even if they have masks on.

There is another thing to consider if you are wondering how to stop burglars from targeting your home. Studies have shown that you are less likely to be burglarized if you own your home. There is a higher risk if you rent one. If you live in a rented home, do not hesitate to install a security camera.

Home security checks

If you have home security checks, burglars and robbers will not be able to get in your house. If you do not know how to stop burglars from targeting your home by using home security checks, here is how it works.

If you have these checks, a crime prevention specialist will be sent by the police department, and the specialist will do a free inspection in your residence. They will tell you how to stop burglars from targeting your home, and what steps you can take. You local police department has a crime prevention unit. You just need to call them. They may offer you free home security checks.

Get a dog

Having a dog is an old method, but it is really effective. If you have a big barking dog, he will guard your home. If a burglar has a plan to break into your home, he will think twice if there is a ferocious dog inside your home. Your dog will figure out how to stop burglars from targeting your home.

Even if you have a small dog, bandits and thieves will hesitate to break into your home. Just make sure the dog barks loudly! Burglars know it well that the barking of the dog will wake you up, and so they will not take any risk. However, do not think of having a dog if you do not like dogs. After all, they require care and companionship.

Trim bushes and shrubs

If there are shrubs and bushes around your home, burglars will hide themselves in those places. That is why you should trim back those bushes and shrubs. Make sure your trim them sufficiently and on a regular basis.

If you are thinking of how to stop burglars from targeting your home, trimming back bushes and shrubs is a good idea. There are many documented cases where burglars hid themselves in bushes, waited for the perfect time and then robbed homes. You also have to make sure that those places have proper lighting.

Install motion-activated floodlights

Another way to make your home safe is to install motion-activated floodlights. If you keep them on at night, burglars and thieves will understand that you know how to stop burglars from targeting your home, and they will not try to break into your home.

If there is plenty of light, burglars will have a hard time figuring out a way to break into your home. Burglars know it very well that it is extremely dangerous to break into a house that has motion-activated floodlights. Your home and property will not be easily targeted.

Lock everything up

Most burglars come in through either the back door or front door. Some use the first floor window. Putting in thick, solid doors holds the solution to how to stop burglars from targeting your home. And do not forget to install deadbolt locks.

When choosing windows, make sure that they are thick, so that thieves can not break into the windows. Just strong windows can help you reduce the likelihood of burglary by nearly 80%.

Remove flyers and mails

Burglars use some tricks to know whether you are at home or on vacation. One trick is to put flyers on doors and see how long you take to remove them. They put flyers usually during the summer, when you are likely to be on vacation.

So you have to figure out how to stop burglars from targeting your home during the summer. If you are away on vacation, ask a friend to remove flyers and mails burglars will assume that you are living in the house, and they will not make an attempt to break into it.

Close your blinds

Even at night, keep your blinds shut. Burglars will not be able to target your home if they find your blinds shut. Burglars often look into windows to know if the homeowners are awake.

If you keep your blinds open, burglars will find it easier to see what valuable stuff you have inside the house. If they manage to figure out what valuables you have inside the home, they will easily enter the home and get the job done!

Make friends with your neighbors

Crime rates are lower in relatively tight-knit communities. In a tight-knit community, neighbors know one another and they can spot a stranger very easily. If you are looking for an answer to the question how to stop burglars from targeting your home, look no further than the development of relationship with your neighbors.

Burglars do not come from far away places; they live in your community. If you can make friends with your neighbors, you can make sure that your property is safe. Forming a watch program is another effective way to monitor your neighborhood, and safeguard your home.

Keep your cars, grills and bikes in the garage

If you leave your grills out, it may targeted by thieves. You may not like the idea to rolling out the grill very often, but if you do so, it will not be targeted by thieves very often. To sneak out with your grills, cars and bikes, burglars will not have to make a very great effort. The reason is simple: they all have wheels. So, always lock your bikes, cars and grills in the garage.

Build a fence

Most likely you have a fence, but if you don’t have, build one without delay. Unwanted visitors will be away from your property if you build a fence. Make sure you have an ornamental metal fencing or open chain-link. To prevent lifting, they are secured into concrete.

You often wonder how to stop burglars from targeting your home, but the solution to this problem can be as simple as building a fence.  Do not consider building a solid fence, because solid fences are easier to climb, and thieves find it easier to hide in them. But these fences are good for noise reduction and privacy. If the fences have sharp pointed tops, they provide better security.

Keep your yard free of ladders, tools and toys

If your yard is littered with toys, thieves may decide to target your home, thinking that there are many more interesting things inside the home. They will break into your home to find tablets, game consoles and laptops. If there is a toolbox or ladder in the yard, thieves may try to use that ladder to gain access to your home.

Form a watch program with your neighbors

You can easily figure out how to stop burglars from targeting your home if you form a neighborhood watch program. It also enables you to know your neighbors well. Together you have an awareness of crime prevention, and as a result burglars will think twice before breaking into a home.

Your local police department can help you in this regard. Talk to them, may be they will be able to give you some valuable advice. They will tell you how you can identify suspicious persons in your locality. You will know what you should do in an emergency, how you can recognize a burglary, and how you can spot burglars loitering on the street.  

Clean up your neighborhood if needed

If the streets in your neighborhood are littered, graffiti-lined and run-down, criminals will think that people in the area do not care about each other. An area like this can be easily targeted by thieves and burglars. It can be a prime location for burglary. To clean up your neighborhood, the public works department in your locality can help you.

And if you do not get any assistance from them, consider doing it with your neighbors. You can also discuss with them how to stop burglars from targeting your home. That can be helpful in two ways: you will clean up the area and form good relationships with your neighbors.

Keep your garage doors locked

For each outside entrance, purchase a quality padlock. Even if you have to lock your garage only at night, invest in a padlock. If your friends and family members need to use your car, they will call you ahead. It is even better if you keep your garage door locked at all times. If you keep your garage door unlocked, burglars will try to enter your garage.

Secure your car

Sometimes you will have to park your car on the street. When you do so, park your car in an area which is well-lit. You may have valuables like purses, cell phones, satellite ratios and GPS devices inside the car. Make sure that they are not in plain view. Do not forget to roll up windows and lock the doors.

Even if your car is in the safest neighborhoods, you have to secure it. Burglars target cars so often because they are so easy to target. You have to consider another thing. Even if you lock the car, do not leave a spare key inside your vehicle.

Secure valuable items in a lock box or home safe

If your safe is small, have it bolted to the floor. If you do not secure it, thieves and burglars will be able to take it with them. Be careful about your pass code. Do not give it to people who are not trusted enough. Give it to your loved ones only when there is an emergency. Do not keep it in a place which intruders will find easy to access.  

Avoid labeling your personal keys

Do not label your personal keys. If they get lost or stolen, you will have to deal with a big trouble. If you want to know how to stop burglars from targeting your home, you must know about this safety measure.

You may face a bigger problem if you lose your ID along with your personal keys. Thieves know where to look for the keys, so instead of hiding them under mats, it is a good idea to give them to a trusted neighbor.

Buy a home security system

If you buy a home security system, you will get a lot of features with it. There are some really good valuables such as sensors at windows, exterior doors, garage doors; outdoor motion detectors, security cameras, an outdoor alarm etc. when you purchase one, choose the features that serve your purpose well.

Buy products from a reputable, well-known company. Once you have installed one, use it on a regular basis. If you do not use the system, burglars will take advantage of your negligence.   

Do not advertise your trip

These days, people tend to post the details of their lives on social media. That is not a very good thing. If your can control this urge, you will be able to minimize the risks. If burglars and thieves come to know that your house will be empty, they will try to take advantage of this information. They will know when it the best time to target your home. It is not a very good idea to let people know that soon you are going to have a trip.

Install strong doors

When you go out keeping your doors shut is not enough. You also have to make sure that the doors and windows are strong enough. About 70% of burglars use a door to enter your home. If you install solid, thick doors, burglars will find it hard to break into your home.

You can also consider installing a secondary floor lock. This way you can make sure that burglars will find it impossible to unlock the door. In the doorframe, you can install hidden bracing.

Put timers on lights

It is a great way to dodge thieves and burglars. If you put timers on your lights and a few rooms in your house are lit when you are out of home, thieves will think that you are still in the house and they will not make an attempt to break into your home.

This is how to stop burglars from targeting your home when you are on vacation. If you put timers, the lights will be lit every evening, and burglars will not try to take the risk. Remember, burglars target a home when they find it enveloped in darkness.

Conceal alarm panels

There is no doubt that you can keep burglars at bay if you have a good alarm system. This system can make it easy for you how to stop burglars from targeting your home, but you should be intelligent when installing your home security system.

If burglars can easily see your alarm system control panel, burglars can wait for a time when it is convenient for them to break into your house. That is why you should install the alarm system at a place that can not be seen through the door and windows. Using a smartphone app, the alarm can also be set remotely.

Whether you own a home or live in a rented one, it is quiet normal for you to wonder how to stop burglars from targeting your home. If you follow the tips and strategies above, hopefully you will be able to ensure the safety of your home.