1. Don’t provide places for thieves to hide Trim trees and bushes that may give someone a place to hide or unnoticeable access to your windows. Trim any shrubs that are high enough to block a window or provide covering to those attempting to surveil your home.
2. Light your property with motion detectors or entry lighting to ensure you can see clearly those nooks and crannies that are normally very dark and may allow a thief access to your home under the cover of darkness.
3. Don’t let thieves know you are not home Years ago many Black families placed announcements in Black newspapers about their vacation plans – but also made it clear who from the neighborhood would be house-sitting in their absence. Today, through social media, many of announce we our plans and document it from the time we lock the front door until our planes touch down a week later. In the process, we give home invaders a trusty guide to our movements and essentially announce our homes are primed for break in. Save the vacation snaps until your return, have a friend house-sit, and / or entrust a friend or neighbor to pick up mail or check on the house daily.
4. Install a home alarm system Alarms may deter burglaries, but also provide the added advantage of alerting neighbors and bringing law enforcement to your home quickly. Those systems that offer surveillance as well as the alarm, have been amazing at helping to track down would-be robbers by capturing their images for law enforcement.
5. Take precautions to protect windows Ensure that windows have working locks and that windows are screened for extra protection. Also, if purchasing new windows for your home, invest in shatterproof glass to prevent invaders from breaking windows to gain entry. For the more frugal, consider adding a security film to windows. Security window films are used to enhance the safety of regular glass by strengthening it. Security films for windows are used to help protect against break-ins, vandalism, accidents, terrorist bomb attacks, and natural disasters. This will prevent the glass from shattering upon breaking and may deter thieves from continuing their attempt to break in.
6. Secure sliding glass doors Sliding glass doors have incredibly flimsy locks. A thief can easily pop them in an instant, giving quick access to your home. Installing a security bar for sliding doors would make gaining access to your home more difficult. This measure of protection is a must-have for all sliding doors and windows.