Having your home broken into is one of the most violating crimes that can happen to you and your family.
As a homeowner your best defence against burglary is taking preventive measures, so here are some tips:
1. Stick alarm signs in your yard – You don't need to actually have an alarm in your home, though it couldn't hurt. For most thieves simply having an alarm sign in your yard is enough to put your house on the backburner as they scope out other less secure homes.
2. Don't help a would-be thief break into your home by leaving a ladder or other tools outside that could aid someone in breaking into your home. Remember to always clean up.
3. Make friends with your neighbours – Having good neighbours can help immensely with a number of different things. A watchful neighbour who works opposite shifts as you can ensure that there is always someone reachable whose presence could deter a thief. Despite popular belief, a thief's best time to strike is mid-day while everyone is away at work. The best way to have a good neighbour is to be a good neighbour.
4. Don't post valuables and vacation details over social media – We all want to believe that our Facebook profiles are sacred grounds for us to post sensitive details about our lives, but that's not usually the case. Posting your new flat screen TV could be inviting an acquaintance you barely know to pay you a visit while you're away on vacation.
5. Consider security hedges – The most popular entrance for a thief is through the window, so making that path as difficult as possible will usually lead the thief to choose another home over yours.
6. Always make sure your back windows and doors are locked – Keeping your doors and windows locked is a given but sometimes we make mistakes and are forgetful. Unfortunately for us, this is when thieves take the opportunity to strike, so make sure you don't give them that opportunity.
7. Make a habit of always parking in a garage or always locking your gate – A thief's biggest concern is that someone else might actually be home. If your home is being scoped and the thief notices you always park in the driveway while you're home or only lock your driveway gate when you leave or if they notice lots of fluid stains in the driveway then it gives them an easy way to gauge whether you're home.
8. Never give the impression you're not home – If you haven't noticed the theme here, you want to deter a thief from even choosing your home as an option. The best way to do this while out of town is to have someone swing by to collect mail, papers, and putting timers on your lights. The added expenditure on your light bill is more than worth it.
The best defence is to not paint yourself as a target. Most break-ins aren't spur of the moment and chances are your house is just one of many that are being checked before a thief strikes.
Unfortunately there is no way to stop a burglary before it happens, but you can use these tips to help convince a thief that your home isn't worth the hassle.
- Courtesy of Olds Rural Crime Watch Association.
