Home Security is about Prevention

Someone broke into my garage, stole my bike and I am extremely unhappy about it!!

Not an expensive bike, not new or particularly valuable, however it was mine, and some SOB stole my hard earned property. Now I am totally pissed off and need to step up the security around my place!

My first thought was barbed wire and electrified fencing. Also saw a great thing with an exploding box full of little hard rubber balls mounted at crotch-level…..but after a discussion with a hockey buddy in the police department, decided against that course of action. Apparently that would make me the bad guy. But seriously, it’s time to educate myself and make it more difficult for thieves to take advantage.

If you want to keep your home safe from break-ins, you should have good quality locks an all doors and windows and an alarm system. Thieves are lazy and opportunistic, so if your home appears to be difficult to steal from, 99% will just move to an easier victim. But home security doesn’t end with locks and alarms. There are other less obvious ways to keep your home safe. For example:

Signs that indicate security features and inexpensive faux motion activated video monitoring cameras. Smile, You’re on candid camera!!

• Front door camera & ringer. You are aware, and have a record of anyone coming to the door! A thief will usually check to see if anyone is at home to avoid a confrontation.
• Install exterior lights with a motion detection feature. A light suddenly going on will almost always send a potential intruder away.
• Look for – and if possible eliminate – spots around your property where someone can hide, exterior LED lighting is great for this.
• Always have some lights on in your home when you’re away for an evening and timers when you are away on vacation.
• If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, have someone empty your mailbox and place your garage door opener on ‘vacation’ mode.
• Never announce that you’re on vacation or otherwise away from your home on social media sites. (Also ask your kids or friends not to do this!)
• Don’t leave tempting valuables where they can be easily seen through a window, close your blinds at night.

In addition to professional quality locking systems on gates, doors and windows, simple precautions like these will significantly lower the risk of a break-in. I am not a security expert, but I know people that are, just give me a call, I’d be happy to refer them to you.