How to Prevent Theft and Secure Your Home

No one wants to be a victim of theft and lose money, jewelry, electronics, or other valuables. Unfortunately, theft does occur. If you’re proactive and make a few changes around the house, including installing better locks and a security system, you can prevent most burglaries. There are many different steps to take inside and outside the home to protect valuables. Keep reading to learn how you can prevent theft and keep your home safe and secure.

Securing Your Home

Updating the exterior locks on doors and windows will go a long way in preventing theft. If you can afford a security system, great. Be sure to plaster the security signs up in visible places outside the home. If a home has locks that are too secure to pick as well as a security system, thieves will leave to look for other homes to break into. Contacting locksmith companies such as actionlockdoc.com is a good way to start securing your home.

Contacting a trusted neighborhood locksmith is a good way to get qualified help in making your home more secure. Look for locksmiths that are highly trained and specialize in the type of locks you are interested in. If you have a relationship with a local locksmith, you can get help when locking yourself out of the car or the house.

Most people don’t think much about locks when they purchase a home. The closing company hands you the keys to your new home and you add them to your keyring. But, how many people have used the same locks and keys for this house? How many spare keys are spread around? It’s a good idea to have the locks changed as soon as you take possession of a new home. In the future, do not give keys to workers and contractors. If you give someone a key, be sure to get it back.

The reason a lot of security plans don’t work is that family members get careless about locking all the doors and windows or about activating the alarm system when they leave the house. The whole family must understand the importance of locking doors and keeping the security system activated in order to prevent theft and secure your valuables.

Commonly Targeted Rooms

Why is it important to know which rooms thieves often target and the items they’re looking to steal? Because if you have this knowledge, you can make sure they don’t find valuables in those rooms. Minimize your losses by hiding items and storing them well to prevent theft. These are the rooms intruders often search first:

1. The master bedroom is the often the first place targeted. This is a room that most likely will contain jewelry, cash, and other valuables. They will look in common hiding places such as under the mattress, a dresser, or a closet.

2. The bathroom is a good place for thieves to steal prescription drugs to use or resell.

3. Intruders usually target the home office, as it’s a great place to find electronics, paperwork, and collectible display items. Things like passports are often stolen and personal documents can be used to commit identity theft later.

4. The kitchen is a place many people leave cellphones and hide cash and jewelry. Thieves will look in cabinets, cereal boxes, and even the freezer. Avoid hiding things in these places.

Neighborhood Safety

When and where does most theft occur? Burglars usually case a neighborhood first to note which houses are empty during the day or which residents seem to be on vacation. Then, they strike during the day when most people are at work or school. Theft is also more likely to occur during the warmer months.

When burglars are studying a neighborhood, they will look in open garages, patios, and other areas that people may leave open when they are home. Don’t leave any doors open when you are home; don’t give the criminals an opportunity to see what’s in your home or garage.

Burglars might even knock on doors to find empty homes or homes with vulnerable people who live alone. It’s better to never open the door to a stranger, but make sure they know you are home. If you answer the door, do so with a phone in your hand and be talking to someone.

If you see someone suspicious in the neighborhood, take a photo of them and their car, capturing an image of the license plate. Even if the person is just visiting a friend, you will be prepared if the worst occurs. It’s always better to err on the side of caution when you and your neighborhood’s safety are at risk.

Finding Better Places to Secure Valuables

Instead of using common hiding places that thieves know about, get creative. A few ideas like these can help:

• Use a clean paint can for storing valuables. After finishing a can of paint, clean out the can, add your valuables or cash, and place it with all the other paint cans in a secure location.

• Make a few drawers that have false bottoms. Choose a deep drawer so a false bottom will not be noticeable. Use 1/4th inch plywood and rest it on a couple of wood strips glued to the sides of the drawer. Or, attach a strong envelope or another container to the back of the drawer as space permits. Fill the top part of the drawer with items that would be expected.

• Add a small section to the PVC plumbing pipes in the basement. Cap this area off with a removable cap and and store items here. It should look like a normal part of the plumbing system.

• Other good hiding places include broken speakers, an old vacuum cleaner, a computer tower, or another piece of furniture or equipment that has space inside to hide something. Make sure everyone in your family knows where things are hidden so they don’t donate the items or throw them away. You can also get creative by adding a secret, altered shelf to a bookcase to hide items or securing items behind a picture frame on the wall.

Overall, the best way to prevent theft and keep your home and valuables secure is to have good locks on doors and windows and investing in a good home security system. In addition, you should get to know your neighbors and keep an eye out for each other. Be smart about who you give keys to and never open your door to strangers. Try to keep your shrubs trimmed so there aren’t easy hiding places around your home. Investing in motion sensor lights for the yard and front door, as well as installing cameras by entry points, all helps to keep thieves away.

By implementing these few tips to prevent theft, you can keep your home, family, and valuables safe for years to come.

Happy Travels!

Julie