Crime rates continue to rise in most cities across the country, and that makes it important to take steps to keep your home safer. There are a number of products that you can use to protect your home and your family, but they won’t be effective if your family isn’t also learning good safety practices.
Remove Enticements For Home Invasions
There are certain features of your property that burglars and other home invaders will look for in picking a property to target. You can identify these features by touring the exterior of your property and putting yourself in a criminal’s mindset. For example, watch for tall shrubbery near the house. A tall bush creates the ideal place for a criminal to hide and wait for you to vacate the home. Once you’re gone, the perpetrator can break a window while staying hidden behind the shrubbery. Another home feature to consider removing is a trellis. A clever burglar can use the trellis like a ladder and gain entry to an open window on the second story. Look at the security of basement windows and other access points as well.
Keep Everything Locked
Not only is it important that your home is equipped with a security camera system, but you should take additional steps to prevent a home invasion such as monitoring the cameras periodically. Children who are old enough to come and go on their own should be taught to always lock the door behind them. They should also learn how to lock windows and sliding doors on the ground level of the home. If your entire family watches one another to make sure doors and windows are locked, these practices will quickly become a habit. In many cases, making it harder for a burglar to gain entry to a home will discourage them from committing the crime. Even if the criminal is persistent, it will be easier to catch a burglar in the act and before they enter your home when they have to force their way inside.
Use Technology to Protect Your Home
You should stay updated on home security technology as improvements become available. A monitored security system that uses sensors at access points can alert authorities to a home invasion as soon as it occurs. Smart locks have become more popular since they give the members of the household greater control over who has access to the home. Even if no one is at home, smart locks can be enabled to provide limited access to delivery personnel, utility service workers, and other authorized individuals. Motion sensors can also be used to control exterior lighting to keep your home’s perimeter illuminated when anyone draws near.
Maintain Good Relations With Your Community
Keeping good relationships with your neighbors can be beneficial in many ways. For home security, you can create a Neighborhood Watch system that encourages everyone on the street to keep an eye on one another’s homes. If a criminal does try to gain entry to a home, there will be someone there to call the police for help. You’ll also be able to rely on your neighbors when your family is leaving town for a vacation. A neighbor who has earned your trust can be relied upon to collect your mail and watch your home for signs of trouble.
Read More: A Guide for Increasing Security at Your Family Home
Keep Your Home Private
Another way that criminals target homes for invasion is by watching for signs that a particular home is worth burglarizing. They will look for large package deliveries or plenty of outdoor equipment that has been left sitting out. They may also spend time peering through open windows to see what kind of household items you own. If they see a large entertainment center, jewelry, or computer equipment, they may be more tempted to target your home. Whenever possible, keep toys and other items stored indoors. Your garage is a good place for storing outdoor equipment, but keep it locked. The shades or blinds on first floor windows should be kept drawn unless those windows are equipped with privacy screens.
Conclusion
You should also have a plan for a home invasion to ensure everyone in your family knows what to do. Your children should recognize some signs that there’s trouble at home. The signal might be an alert sent to their cell phones or an outdoor light that has been turned off. This will let them know that they should flee to a neighbor’s house or call the police. Practice your response plan regularly to help everyone become familiar with their duties.
