8 Tips to Deter Home Break-Ins

No one wants to arrive home from a long day to find out their home has been invaded and valuables were stolen. The physical damage is upsetting enough, but the emotional trauma of having what was once a safe haven for you now destroyed can be completely unnerving. While no home is ever completely safe from break-ins, there are tips homeowners can follow to make it harder for criminals to burglarize our homes. Read on for 8 tips to deter home break-ins.

1. Get to know your neighbors. While you may not want to be a social butterfly in the neighborhood, not communicating at all with your neighbors leaves your home at risk. Every neighborhood has a “nosy neighbor” that seems to know what is happening with everyone all the time. These “nosy neighbors” are usually the first ones to notice when strange cars are parked during odd hours of the day or when someone is knocking on your door when you are usually at work. Communicating with your nearby neighbors creates a camaraderie around you that helps everyone. Let them know when you will be away for a while or if you have guests visiting and let them know you are happy to keep an extra eye on their place when they need you to.                                                                              
2. Keep hedges and landscaping looking nice. Yes trimming the hedges and bushes are another chore on your “to-do” list, but letting them grow wild especially near doors and windows provides the perfect cover for the bad guys to break-in. Maintaining the landscaping around your windows and doors leaves little room for criminals to move about easily without being seen.                                                                                                                                                       
3. Invest in doorbell cameras, motion lights, and timers. The last thing a thief wants is to be seen or more attention called to them. The cost to install doorbell cameras is very affordable nowadays. More often than not, burglars will knock on your door to confirm you are not home before proceeding with a break-in. A doorbell camera (especially if it is triggered by motion) will at least document what they look like if not totally deter them from breaking in. Motion lights call attention to any movement outside your home. While most break-ins occur during weekdays when you are at work, having motion lights going off may deter an evening break-in. Motion sensor and timed lights indoors usually deter criminals because they truly prefer you not to be home when they enter. Since lights going on and off give the illusion of the presence of people, criminals may be less likely to attempt a break-in.                                                                                                                                                                               
4. Lock your windows and deadbolt your doors. Even if you consider your neighborhood a safer one, be sure to always deadbolt both your front and back doors and keep your windows locked. In fact, the dust and cobwebs that have accumulated on the lock will be a nice indicator to the intruder that you rarely use them. Sure the old proverb “Locks only keep out the honest” is true, but not locking your doors and windows makes it even easier for the dishonest.                                                                                                                                                                                               
5. Turn on your alarm system. So many people have alarm systems but don’t bother setting them on days they routinely head out to work. A lot of burglars will survey your home a few days before so they learn your schedule. Not setting your alarm system daily is a bad idea. In fact, 83% of burglars specifically look to see if there’s an alarm; 60% would change their mind if there was one installed.                                                                                              
6. Get a big barking dog.  Intruders are often scared off when a large dog is calling attention to them. They may bypass smaller ones but the larger ones are very intimidating.                                                                                                 
7. Have a neighbor pick up your mail when you are gone. Seeing mail pile up in a mailbox or seeing that it has been stopped entirely by the mail carrier is a sign that you are not at home.                                                                  
8. Don’t announce your travel plans on social media. Too often those that break in your home are people you know or are at least acquainted. Keep travel dates quiet from social media and wait to share your beautiful vacation pics until after you are home. Don’t broadcast to the world that you have left your house empty.

While no one’s home is impossible to break in, we hope these 8 tips to deter home break-ins is helpful to you.  At Method, we take pride in helping you become a homeowner. We know that you are proud to be a homeowner and want to take the best possible care of your investment.