You put a lot of money and care into making your house nice, safe, and secure. When a break in occurs in your home, it can turn your home into a place of fear. When you do not feel secure in your home, it does not have the same feeling of comfort. Breaks ins occur and they occur regularly. In fact, more than 2.5 million home intrusions are reported every year in the United States. What can you do to preserve the feeling of comfort and safety within your own home?
Always appear as if someone is home
Many intruders stake out a potential break in prior to actually breaking in. They may attempt to watch the homeowner?s entering and exiting habits. They pay attention to what time everyone leaves the house, what time they start to come home, and what time they turn out the lights for bedtime. Most burglars do not actually want to come in contact with the homeowner during the break in, but it does happen. When you leave the house, leave a couple of the lights on to appear as if someone is still home. Park one of your vehicles in the garage, making it harder to tell who is home and who is not.
Have a neighbor keep an eye on the house
If you are away from the house for long periods of time or will be taking an extended vacation, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye on the house. Never advertise that you are going away on the internet, as this is an attractor for burglars. If people are constantly stopping by and checking on the house regularly or there is a nearby neighbor keeping watch on the house, burglars will be less tempted to break in.
Install alarm systems
Alarm systems, or a home automation system is one of the best ways to keep burglars out. Not only does the advertisement of alarm systems deter some burglars from choosing your house, but it also immediately alerts the police before they ever have a chance to take anything. In most cases, the alarm systems sounds will cause a criminal to flee the scene immediately. Homes without security or alarm systems are up to 300% more likely to be broken into.
Upgrade your access control system
Your access control system is the home box that will be connected directly to your alarm system. Upgrading it means that it can provide you with additional safety features, such as immediate police contact, fire department contact, and even locking accessibility. These types of features may be especially beneficial when an armed or extremely dangerous burglar enters the house.
Install security cameras
Take your alarm system to the next level with security cameras. Security cameras provide both real time and future benefits. If you hear a loud noise in the middle of the night, for example, you can log into your video surveillance system and identify if and what is outside. Security cameras can also be helpful in identifying a burglar when the break in occurs when you are not at home.
Police usually only solve about 13% of all reported burglaries, mostly due to a lack of witnesses or physical evidence. It can be difficult to get over a break in, especially when the burglar is never found. You will constantly worry if they will return for another break in. A security system with proper security system maintenance, however, allows the police to identify the burglar.
Experiencing a home break in is extremely difficult. It does not even always matter if you were home to witness the break in or not. The idea of a complete stranger coming into your home takes a lot of the feelings of comfort outside of your house. Prevent a disastrous break in by leaving lights on when you leave the house, asking a trusted neighbor to monitor your house when on vacation, install an upgraded security system, and use a video surveillance system.
