Protecting Your Home from Break-ins over the Summer

Your home is castle, but in light of the recent wave of break-ins sweeping your current locale, it sure isn’t feeling that way. Every time you open the paper and read about another local burglary, you can’t help but wonder if your house is next. Someone breaking into your home when your family is gone is bad enough, but you shudder at the prospect of a burglar entering the property when your loved ones are present. With summer vacation right around the corner, this is a very understandable concern.

Although some burglars make a point of perpetrating robberies when houses are empty, others have no qualms about carrying out full-on home invasions. Once school lets out for the year, your children are going to be spending a great deal of time at home, thus increasing their chances of being present in the event of a burglary. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to protect both your home and your loved ones from the machinations of seasoned burglars. If you’re ready to stop worrying about break-ins and give yourself some much-needed peace of mind, simply put the following tips into practice.

Invest in a Reliable Home Security System

In the fight against burglars, a reliable home security system is your most valuable ally. These convenient systems are designed to stop criminals in their tracks by sounding alarms whenever the premises are breached and immediately alerting local law enforcement. To sweeten the deal, many modern-day home security systems are very easy to turn on and disable. A simple security code – which, for best results, should be changed on a regular basis – has the power to arm and disarm most systems. Adding to their convenience, many cutting-edge security systems can be turned on and off remotely with the help of a computer, smart phone or any other internet-capable mobile device.

Be Mindful of What Your Throw Out

Before deciding to rob certain homes, some criminals will spend a good deal of time casing their targets. This generally entails driving past houses multiple times throughout the day, peering into windows and examining trash. When inspecting trash, burglars look for signs of affluence. So if you’ve recently purchased a new television set, stereo system or swanky home furnishings, don’t throw the packaging out with your regular garbage. Instead, break the boxes down and drive them out a nearby recycling center or legal dumping site. In addition, never throw out intact bank statements, credit card bills or other sensitive financial documents. If you don’t need these documents for your personal records, make a point of shredding them before disposing of them.

Be Meticulous About Locking Your Doors

While locking your doors may seem like a no-brainer, a surprising number of Americans leave their homes unlocked, making them prime targets for burglary. This is particularly true of people who live in small towns and other quiet communities that feature low crime rates. In order not to arouse any suspicion from neighbors and assorted onlookers, certain burglars will only enter homes with unlocked doors. Being able to casually walk into a residence dramatically reduces their chances of having the police called on them until long after the job is done. For this reason, it’s imperative that you keep your doors locked at all times, regardless of whether or not you happen to be home.

While it’s true that your home is your castle, all castles need to be defended from time to time. With this in mind, it’s important that you take measures to shield your residence from break-ins. Since many burglars will go to great lengths to gain entry to your home, there’s no reason you should pull any punches. In the quest to keep your home off-limits to disreputable characters, remember to invest in a home security system, be mindful of your trash and keep your doors locked.

About the Author: William Townsend is an Indianapolis-based warehouse supervisor and proud father of three. To keep his home safe from break-ins, William recently invested in a custom home security system from Circle City Alarms.