The first step in protecting yourself and your home from burglars is to be informed on how burglars pick a home to burglarize.
The simple answer? They look for an easy target.
Burglars work hard to identify easy targets. You could say it’s their full time job to find houses worth breaking into. Many burglars will stake out a home for days to identify patterns in how people come and go. And they are especially interested in homes without dogs, alarm systems, and security cameras.
Below, we’ll explain exactly what we mean by an easy target, and share 4 ways you can scare off potential burglars from selecting your home as their next mark.
And if you’re in a rush to stop your home from becoming a target, you can always schedule service with an Ackerman security professional.
As we mentioned above, burglars are looking for an easy target. They want to be able to enter and exit your home quickly, quietly and undetected. This makes their job easier and lowers the potential that they’ll be caught.
So, what exactly do we mean by an “easy target?”
An easy target is a home that is uninhabited and has no indications that it's being watched or protected while residents are away.
While it depends on the situation, many times, burglars will surveil a home for days or even weeks before burglarizing it.
When looking for a target, a burglar is probably watching:
These are all red flags to a burglar that your home is being watched even while you’re away. This makes your home a more difficult target than a home that has no surveillance.
If a burglar has determined that your home isn’t being watched and may be a good target, they may check for:
Now that we’ve discussed how a burglar may choose a home, let’s talk about ways you can ward off a potential burglar from choosing your home.
There are a handful of ways to ward off a potential burglar from choosing your home. Some of those include:
In addition to providing you with peace of mind, video surveillance is normally visible from the street, sending a message to any potential burglars that you are watching your home even if you’re not there.
If you install a comprehensive security system, it should notify you if you leave any doors or windows open. This is just one more layer of protection for your home.
If there is a neighborhood watch program in your area, you should participate in it.
You can learn more about reducing burglaries in your neighborhood by reading this blog, “3 proven ways to reduce burglaries in your neighborhood.”
Ready to protect your home? Our team of experts can provide you with a free quote on installing a security system for your home.