How To Stop Burglars From Targeting Your Home

One of the best safeguards of an apartment against burglary is different types of alarms. They come in the form of sensors and reed switches.

‣ Sensors

These are small devices that are mounted in the corners of the room. A standard sensor will detect motion, but there are also ones that will react, e.g. to the sound of a broken window. You can choose from infrared sensors or ones that also use microwaves.

Although wireless models may be easier and faster to install, it’s better to opt for wired ones. By doing so, we will avoid the problem of changing the battery. These types of detectors are also more effective.

‣ Reed switches

A special solution is opening sensors for doors and windows, i.e. reed switches. Their installation does not require special tools or skills. Some models are equipped with WiFi and can send notifications to the phone and create a report of opening and closing the door or window.

You might put up a fence that’s tall and difficult to climb or break through around your property. Fences that have sharpened and shaped points can deter burglars from climbing them, provided that they are not easy to jump.

Growing shrubs or plants with thorns around a fence is another way to keep a burglar away. Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Common Holly, Creeping Juniper, Firethorn, Buckthorn, or Roses are among many useful thorny plants to deter burglars.

It is a clever idea to attach your spare house key to your dog’s collar, if the dog is a large breed that lives outdoors. If your garden has a dog house, you may also store your spare house keys inside it.

Many burglaries happen because of insufficient window protection. Thieves can easily break them, balance them, drill them, or open the door handle. They also use our lack of attention and enter through ajar or open windows. They watch us through windows and know when we leave. For these reasons, it is worth investing in solutions that will make breaking in difficult.

‣ Security windows

They are an effective obstacle for burglars. Unlike the blinds, they also don’t signal to them when we’re not at home.

However, make sure that the fittings, mounting method, and glazing beads are of high quality. The proper mounting method that prevents balancing is also very important. Therefore, only a correctly fixed window with a certificate will be good protection.

‣ Additional window protections

You can also install various types of systems that are designed to protect against breaking in. It’s best to choose special fittings which, thanks to their shape, will prevent the window from sliding out of the hinges. The handle can also be useful, locked by closing it from the inside with a key. It should also have an insert that cannot be drilled through.

‣ Anti-burglar blinds

Not all external blinds protect us from burglars. Standard blinds can only extend the time of getting into our home, but they are not strong enough to be a reliable barrier for thieves. Anti-theft models should have a certificate that approves their burglary resistance. They are equipped with special guides and armor, which have been properly reinforced.

‣ Bars

Even though metal bars don’t look pretty, they are one of the best protection methods against burglary especially if you live on the ground or first floor. When buying, pay attention to the thickness of the bars (from about 0.3 to 0.8 inches, or 8 to 20 mm) and their spacing. It is essential that the chosen model does not allow thieves to climb to the upper floors.

It is necessary to secure and cover outside wiring in order to increase the security of your home. Thieves can target easily available copper wiring, especially around air conditioning units. The intruders can also cut phone lines and power supplies to alarm systems. Therefore, it’s a good idea to install a wire-free home security camera, which also requires only a fast and easy setup.

If you are going for holidays or planning on being away from home after dark, install timers on your indoor lights as they will make your home look occupied. However, make sure the timer is set differently in each room of your house since all the lights turning on at the same time will not look natural.

Another way to make your home appear occupied is to have a house sitter or somebody, like your trustworthy neighbor, friend, or family member, who will look after your home while you are away.

Never leave a note on your front door for delivery or service people. It can be a good sign for a potential intruder that alerts them to the fact that nobody is at home. Instead, try to arrange for a friend or neighbor to accept your delivery or let a service person into the house when you are not home.

Purchasing a paper shredder might be a good investment for security purposes. Thieves can get lots of valuable information by searching through your trash. But if you don’t want to spend money on a shredder, simply ripping papers into small pieces should do.

Make sure there is no gap around your door within its frame. When there is a space, someone can easily jimmy open the door. So close up the space with 0.75 inches (2 cm) of plywood or by using sheet metal in order to ensure that a burglar will not be able to break in.

You also might consider installing motion detectors on your driveway and linking them to your cell phone. This way whenever someone enters your property, you get an automatic text message to inform you so you can see who is at your home when you are not there. Motion detectors also work great with video monitoring.

If you have a boat, a scooter, or a motorcycle in your yard, keep it inside your garage or shed when not in use. Criminals when seeing it would assume that you have a lot of money and this gives them an incentive to break into your home and look for other valuable items.