According to burglary experts Matt Johnston and Jon Douglas Rainey, hosts of It Takes a Thief, most homes are clad from the outside. Experienced burglars know what to look for and focus on being able to get in and out of a home quickly, quietly and without being seen. There are a variety of affordable options, all of which help deter thieves and add security and protection to your home.
According to Johnston and Rainey, the most common way for a burglar to enter a home is through an unlocked or unlocked door. Because of this, always close all doors and windows, including the second floor, even if you are only leaving for a few minutes. When leaving the house, an inexpensive way to deter a burglar is to install a rebar on the door. These are heavy, adjustable steel bars that wedge against the door at an angle, preventing it from opening. The Mace Big Jammer, for example, retails for $ 17.95. However, if your door is made of wood, the bar will do little to deter a burglar, as the door can be kicked in relatively easily.
A good way to prevent a door from being kicked in is to make sure the exterior doors are solid core doors installed in a sturdy frame with long screws. The addition of heavy duty dead bolts also provides another layer of kick protection. The best option is a double keyed deadbolt that requires a key to get in and out of the house. If a burglar enters your home (for example, through a window) and you have double-key locks, only items that fit through the windows can be brought in. A good double key deadbolt can be purchased at your local hardware store for about $ 45.00 and installation is relatively quick and easy.
Another way to deter criminals is to make noise when entering, which prevents the burglar from entering your home quietly and without anyone noticing. For about $ 15, you can purchase a door stop alarm, which is a wedge-shaped device that when placed against a door makes a very loud noise once the door is opened. Similar devices can be purchased for sliding windows and doors that will sound an alarm with vibration or movement, such as glass breakage.
When it comes to securing your windows, a good place to start is with self-tapping screws. When attached to the window frame, the screws prevent thieves from opening the window from the outside. Another viable option is to apply a tinted window film that not only makes your windows shatterproof, but also prevents thieves from window shopping when you are not at home. Window tint can be purchased for about $ 2.50 per cubic foot.
Man’s Best Friend is also among the highly recommended home security options according to Wayne Schultz, a security expert with the Harris County, Texas sheriff’s office. Dogs make noise and are among the best deterrents against a burglar, according to Schultz. Not ready to add a furry friend to the house? So get creative! Chewing on dog toys on the porch or in the yard can deter a thief on suggestion alone. A good idea is to talk to a neighbor or friend who owns a dog and offer to replace the chewed toys with new ones. After making your small investment in the pet store, take the old toys and put them in your house and the involvement of a dog is there. Keep in mind that bigger toys imply a bigger dog. Even more creative is the Electronic Watch Dog, which uses microwave technology to detect the presence within 20 feet of the device. When someone enters the detection range, the device starts barking like a man-hungry German Shepherd. The device retails for about $ 85, but offers a creative and effective warning to thieves. To top off the act, add a bowl of water inscribed “Murderer”. The thief may never know that his only pet is a goldfish!
Lastly, if you’re heading out of town, be sure to stop sending the mail and newspaper (or have a trusted friend or neighbor pick them up). Also, arrange to have your grass cut or sidewalks removed if you are going to be absent for an extended period; nothing says “I’m not home” like tall grass or sidewalks with no footprints in the snow. Also, leave a car in the driveway or ask a trusted neighbor to park there for the entire week. It’s also a good time to get your Christmas lights timer out of the Tupperware and plug in some of your electronics or lighting to it. Set the timer to turn on a TV or a light for a period of time each night to make it seem like you are at home.