Burglary is one of the most common types of crime in the United States today. In fact, according to statistics, one home or business is being burglarized every 14 seconds. This means that you, as a homeowner, are vulnerable to this kind of crime. It is up to you to take some steps toward becoming a less attractive target for thieves. Here are some ideas on making your home safer.

1. Install a home security system. This is the single best action you can take toward becoming more secure. Not only will emergency authorities be notified right away if your house is compromised, but just the fact of having one installed could be enough to send a burglar packing.

2. Light up your yard. Burglars hate light. They do not want to be seen as they perform their illegal acts. So, if you have motion-activated lighting around your yard and home, a burglar will be less likely to choose your house as a target.

3. Trim the bushes and trees around your yard. Dense shrubbery and bushes just give burglars a place to hide. Yes, you want privacy, but you don't want so much privacy that your neighbors can't see a burglar trying to get inside your house.

4. All doors that lead to the exterior of your house should be equipped with a heavy-duty deadbolt with a minimum one-inch throw.

5. Lock your windows and secure them so they cannot be raised high enough for someone to get in from the outside.

6. Never have an expensive item, such as a television or computer, delivered to your home during the day. This simply advertises what is inside your house and gives would-be burglars more of a reason to break in.

7. Make your house look occupied at all times. Put your lights on a timer and have a television or radio play while you are out.

8. Make sure your garage door closes all the way to the ground. Do not give a burglar any space to crawl under the door, especially if your garage is attached to your house.

The advice here is solid and will make your home a more secure place. However, if you want the most security possible, be sure to add monitoring services to your home security system so that someone is keeping an eye on your property even when you can't be there yourself. The peace of mind you get from this service alone will be well worth the price you pay for the monthly monitoring fee.


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