Home » Misc » 7 ways to stop a burglar

7 ways to stop a burglar


How to Prevent Burglary: 10 Tips from a Burglar

From Spotlight: Ready for the Holidays?

Image: Liz Foreman for HouseLogic

Don’t come home to a nightmare and the feeling of being invaded. Here how to stop a house burglary from ever happening.

You come home to an open front door, a ransacked house, and missing valuables. How did a burglar know you’d be gone? How did they get in? 

Here are nine tips from a burglar's perspective about how to keep them out. And try these home security tips, too.

#1 Put Ladders Away

Call me a social climber if you will, but I love ladders. Makes it so easy to reach a second-story window. I really love it when upper story openings aren’t wired to a home security system. 

So, if you want to keep me out, store your ladder in the basement or a locked garage. And call your security company to wire upper-story windows into your alarm system.

#2 Don't Make Your Trash So Visible

Can’t tell you how much fun I have driving around neighborhoods on trash day (especially after big gift holidays) when the empty boxes on the curb reveal what wonderful new toys you have. That made it possible for me to land a new laptop and a flat-screen television in one easy trip to your home!

Next time, break down the boxes and conceal them in the recycling or trash bins. 

#3 Keep Shrubs Trimmed

Oh, how I love overgrown shrubs and trees. A wonderful place to hide while I break in and grab all your cool stuff. 

Trim back bushes and trees near windows and doors. Make sure entry points to your home are easily visible from the street. I much prefer to work in private. While you’re at it, install motion-sensor lighting. 

#4 Be Sure Your Exterior Doors Are Steel

A plain wood-panel door is an invitation. I have no trouble kicking it in. 

You may want to install steel-wrapped exterior doors with deadbolts on all your entries. And be sure your windows are locked when you’re away. 

#5 Watch Where You Hang Mirrors

You’d be surprised how many homeowners position a mirror in their entry hall so I can see from a window if the alarm system is armed.

A little free advice: Relocate the mirror so your alarm system isn’t visible if someone peers through a window.

#6 Have Someone Attend to Your Home When You're Away

Wow, isn’t it amazing how fast the grass grows? An uncut lawn, newspapers piling up on the front steps, and shades always closed scream, "I'm empty. Come inside!" 

Hire someone you trust to mow regularly, pick up around the doorstep, open and close various window shades, and turn different lights on and off (or put a few on timers). One more thing: Lock any car you leave in the driveway, or I can use your garage door opener to get in quickly.

#7 Don't Put Valuables in an Easy-Carry Case

I can carry that right out your back door. 

You may want to invest in a wall safe, which I rarely attempt to open. Or, rent a lock box at your bank.

It's quite likely that I'm a friend of a friend of yours in the interwebs. And through them, I may discover you're away for the week in Puerto Vallarta, having the time of your life. And I'll have the time of my life ransacking your place.

If only you had known that posting comments and photos of your trip on social networks is fine -- as long as you do that after you return, so you won't broadcast your absence.

#9 Inviting People to Your Home to See Stuff You're Selling

You're downsizing. Great! Selling a bunch of stuff like TVs, computers, jewelry. I just have to call you up, and when you invite me to your home, I just grab the items and run.

It's called “robbery by appointment.” If you want to sell high-ticket items to strangers, I suggest you arrange to meet at the parking lot of your local police station. I definitely won’t show up, and you’ll still have your valuables.

For more tips, see our list of low-cost tricks to fool burglars. Did you know there's a gizmo that mimics the glow of a TV?

More in Finances & Taxes

Keep Your Home Secure: 10 Tips to Prevent Break-Ins and Theft

Moving into a house can be exciting, but putting safety measures in place to keep it protected and getting started with home security systems or devices can feel a little daunting. The good news is there's so many budget-friendly home security options available right now from DIY monitoring to smart locks. Plus, burglary is becoming less common every year. 

But even with dropping rates, FBI data shows that burglaries occur in the US roughly once every 30 seconds. And it is a top priority to keep your family and property safe. To help with your home security checklist, we put together a straightforward guide of the 10 best, easiest and most affordable steps you can take to protect your home and deter would-be intruders from breaking in.

Read also: Don't Buy a Security Camera. Just Turn That Old Phone Into One

1. Secure your doors and windows

Locking your doors and windows is the first and easiest defense against home intruders, but how many of us are doing it consistently? Burglars are often looking for easy targets, and an unlocked door or window is just that. Even when you're home, it's good practice to keep them locked. And when you're leaving the house, double-check doors and first-floor windows to make sure they're all secured.

Some devices can also help you keep track of your entryways. Door and window sensors can track whether a door or window has been left ajar, and smart locks can be scheduled to lock automatically at certain times. Which brings us to our next tip.

2. Upgrade your door locks

Locking your doors and windows may not be enough if you don't have high-quality locks. First, make sure all exterior doors have a deadbolt, making it more difficult for intruders to break in. While you're at it, make sure your door frames and hinges are strong enough to endure an attempted break-in -- older doors or exposed hinges can pose an unnecessary risk. Finally, as mentioned above, you can upgrade to smart locks, which you can engage remotely.

Smart locks work by pairing with your phone so you can enter without a key in hand.

Molly Price/CNET

3.

Buy a home security system

Installing a home security system is one of the most effective ways to prevent intruders from entering and to alert you if there's been a break-in. Data shows that a home without a security system is roughly three times more likely to be broken into. If an intruder spots a security camera or a sign indicating you have a security system, they'll likely keep moving.

Home security systems are one of the best all-around defenses against would-be burglars.

David Priest/CNET

Home security cameras are a great option to add another layer of home protection. Security cameras can alert you if there's movement in your yard or on your front porch, and door and window sensors will let you know if someone has entered or is attempting to enter your home. Depending on your security company, they may also alert law enforcement on your behalf.

Security systems also don't have to break the bank. There are plenty of affordable security cameras and great DIY security systems, in addition to stand-alone devices, out there that you can install yourself on a budget.

4. Keep your valuables hidden

Some burglars may scope out potential targets ahead of time, ensuring they hit houses where they can get their hands on valuables. As a result, it's best to avoid keeping your expensive items where intruders can easily see them as they pass by. For example, avoid leaving expensive tools or bikes out in the open, close your garage door, and don't leave expensive electronics, purses, jewelry, cash and other big-ticket items in front of open windows. You can also consider installing window treatments like curtains or blinds to keep out spying eyes. 

5. Install outdoor lighting


Burglars don't want to feel like they're on display when breaking into a home, and outdoor lights can help to do just that. Since these crimes are often ones of opportunity, outdoor lights may encourage the intruder to keep moving. Rather than keeping your outdoor light on all the time, consider investing in motion-sensor lights that illuminate the yard when they detect movement. The light will catch an intruder off-guard and potentially scare them off. 

And if you would like to take the extra step, there are plenty of outdoor security cameras on the market. From high-end devices to budget-friendly options, boosting your video-surveillance system can keep your loved ones and your property as safe as possible. 

Read more: The best LED floodlight to buy this year

6. Lock your garage

People put a lot of effort into securing their homes but often forget entirely about their garages. Unfortunately, that can be an easy way to gain entrance into your home. First, be sure any regular doors and windows to your garage are locked. Next, consider keeping your garage door opener in the house rather than in your car where someone could steal it. Finally, you should also keep the interior door from your garage to your home locked. That way, if someone does gain entry into your garage, they still can't get into your home. 

As with door locks, buying a retrofit smart garage door opener is an option. These devices allow you to check the status of your garage while you're away, control it remotely and schedule it to shut at certain times.

Spare keys are a lifesaver if you get locked out of the house. But they can also make a burglar's job much easier.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

7. Be smart about your hide-a-key

If you have a house key under your doormat or flowerpot on the porch, rethink its placement. Intruders know these popular hiding places for spare keys, and those are the first places they'll look. Instead, consider giving the extra key to a trusted neighbor or friend. If you must have a spare key outside your home, look for safer alternatives such as a concealed combination lockbox -- or at least a discreet and unexpected location far from your doorway. A little extra caution and mindfulness can go a long way in keeping your home safe. 

8. Make it look like someone is home

Most burglars don't want to enter your home when you're there. They'd rather find an empty home and be in and out as quickly as possible. Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent intruders is to make it look like someone is home at all times.

During the workday, this might include leaving an interior light or the TV on. When you're gone for a longer period of time such as a vacation, make sure to have a neighbor or family member collect your mail, since mail piling up can be a giveaway that the homeowner is gone for a while.

Smart lights can create an even more convincing effect: many can be programmed to turn on and off periodically to simulate a person being home.

24 ways to make your home more secure in 2 days

+21 more See all photos

9.

Consider buying a safe

In a perfect world, intruders would never make it into your home, and so you'd never have to worry about your valuables being stolen. Unfortunately, even the best-laid plans can go astray. And on the off-chance that an intruder does make it into your home, you want to make sure they can steal as little as possible.

First, consider buying a safe or lockbox where you can keep things like cash, jewelry, important documents and other items you wouldn't want a thief to walk away with. As far as bigger items such as electronics, you can make them more difficult to steal by putting them in a concealed place when you aren't using them. Thieves want to be in and out of your home as quickly as possible, so even the smallest deterrent can help.

10. Deter theft on your front porch 

It's also important to remember home security extends to your front porch and that means protecting your delivered packages from porch pirates. Billions of packages are delivered every year in the US alone -- especially during the holiday season -- and many of those delivered packages sit unattended for hours, attracting thieves.  One recent study found that 43% of respondents reported having a package stolen in 2020, which is up from 36% in 2019. 

With porch piracy on the rise, there are several methods to keeping your items safe, such as investing in a porch lockbox or a mailbox sensor, a small device that attaches to your mailbox and notifies you when it's opened. You could also require a signature upon delivery to prevent your packages from sitting unattended until you get home. 

The bottom line

No one wants to become the victim of a home invasion. Implementing the tips on this checklist will help discourage and prevent burglars -- and keep your family and belongings safe. You can start small and pick just a couple of things on this list to focus on. Once you have those down, you can move on to other items on the checklist. Each small improvement you make will ensure your home and loved ones are that much more secure.

9 home security systems to keep watch when you're out

+6 more See all photos


myths and tips to protect your home

September 2 2017

Statistics show that 65% of burglaries occur between 6 and 18 hours. Surprised? But burglaries do happen more often in the morning and afternoon, and burglars can break into your home not only when you're asleep.

Why is this happening?

Note: Most burglaries occur between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.

Myths about daytime burglaries

Some of the tips that many people think help prevent burglaries are misconceptions. Find out what you thought was true is a myth and check out our tips on how you can actually protect your home from burglary.

Myth #1: A big dog will scare away a thief

Not all dogs bark at strangers, and they can be “bribed” with a tasty bone. In addition, the animals themselves may also suffer from the actions of robbers.

Tip. If you want to prevent burglars from entering your home, you should get a dog that barks, and it does not have to be a large breed. In order for a dog to be able to protect your home, you need to properly train it.

Myth #2: Safes can protect your valuables

Do you put all your jewelry, cash, gadgets and other valuables in a safe and hide it under your bed or in a closet, thinking it's a good way to protect yourself from burglary? Most likely, burglars will easily find the safe and open it with their hacking tools. If they can't open the safe, they'll take it with them.

Tip. For your safes to be truly theft-proof, the first thing to do is never mention them and hide them well. To prevent thieves from taking your safe to where they can safely open it, you need to secure it to the floor with anchor bolts.

Myth #3: Fake security cameras are enough to protect you from burglary

Let's face it, a fake security camera won't help you. Smart burglars will easily detect that you have fake security cameras installed.

Tip. Real surveillance cameras or security systems don't cost much if you choose equipment that you can install yourself.

So what burglary prevention tips work?

Source reolink.com. Translation of the article was done by the site administrator Elena Ponomarenko

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

New comment

Sign in with

Submit

How to avoid becoming a victim of burglars: modern methods of protection

November 3, 2016Tips

If you do not want to become a victim of burglars, then this article is for you. The Khabarovsk Association for Opening Locks and Doors gives advice on protecting an apartment from burglary, and also invites you to evaluate the safety of your own home.

Share

0

Which apartment is the easiest to break into?

As you know, most often uninvited guests enter those apartments that are easiest to open. And the easiest way is to open almost all Soviet-made locks, Chinese locks, as well as those locks that today are cut into all new buildings by default. These three categories of locks are recommended to be replaced immediately.

Such a lock will be easy to pick

Thus, a thief who sees locks that he can pick in 1–2 minutes simply cannot pass by.

Apartments on the first and last floors are often robbed. Here, too, everything is clear: if there are no bars on the first floor, and only double-glazed windows are installed, then it will take the robber less than two minutes to open them without creating noise and dust.

The last floors often have balconies, through which it is also easy to get into the apartment. Therefore, in the warm season, at least do not forget to close the balcony when you are not at home.

By the way, the bars are not able to stop a seriously prepared and minded robber, but only scare away petty thieves. But burglary-resistant blinds, or roller shutters, will quite help to scare away even more trained "specialists".

Roller shutters

If you are doing expensive repairs, valuables, money and other expensive things are stored in your apartment, you should not shine with all this - get into the habit of curtaining windows or closing blinds.

How to protect your apartment during the holidays?

If we are talking not about simple burglars, but about robbers with experience, then they try not to exchange for any kind of apartments. Under their sight are apartments that are easy to open, but at the same time get the maximum. They especially rub their hands when we go on vacation.

You have closed all the locks, windows, do not turn on the light, which means that you will not be at home for a day, two or more. The robber has time to take out everything of value. He doesn't need to rush. He has several nights ahead of him when the neighbors are sleeping and no one will see anything.

However, there is one simple but very effective method of dealing with such scoundrels - signaling. It is the alarm system, which, in which case, will work and give a signal to the security console, is able to protect the apartment during your absence.

No other method is as effective as strong locks and alarms. By the way, windows also need an alarm, because it will take a thief less than a minute to open a modern window.

In order to prevent a burglar from looking at your apartment, do not install doors that look luxurious.

Two doors can be installed: an inner one that will be perfectly protected and look great, and an outer one that will have reliable locks, but the door leaf itself will look completely unattractive. Such doors are rarely of interest to thieves, since the stereotype is triggered that if the door looks so bad, therefore, there is nothing to take in the apartment.

Additional tools that can stop a robber

We talked about the classes of locks and the door itself above. Now let's talk about what additional measures can be taken to secure the apartment.

1. Video peephole. Modern models contain the ability to display on the screen of a mobile phone everything that happens outside your door, and when you call the apartment, unfriendly dog ​​barking can sound.

2. Invisibility lock.

Invisibility lock

3. The video camera above the door is guaranteed to scare away burglars and other intruders.

Video camera above the door

4. Internal bars on the windows. Modern models look not only aesthetically pleasing, but are also an excellent protection for your windows from penetration.

Internal bars on windows

5. Night latches and rods. These mechanical protection methods can play a cruel joke in apartments with children or the elderly, so be extremely careful and careful when choosing them.

One more important thing to remember. If you need to make a copy of the keys from an existing key, you should not do this at the nearest workshop of Uncle Vasya, who lives near you and knows exactly where you live. Order the keys from a company that specializes in this and is officially registered. You will receive a receipt along with the key.

Otherwise, you may end up with a non-working key made from poor quality blanks that will not last long.

Learn more