Your home is your castle. It is your place of safety and refuge. As such, you expect your home to be secure at all times. But is it? Have you ever taken the time to step back and really evaluate your home for potential security risks? If not, you should.
KTVB television in Boise, Idaho interviewed more than 85 incarcerated burglars to learn their tricks of the trade. What they learned was surprising. Below are four evaluations you can conduct on your own home based on the responses inmates provided KTVB interviewers.
Evaluate the View from the Street
One thing common among all burglars is the fact that they don't want to be seen. Burglars tend to look for targets that offer obstructed street views. In other words, they look for things like overgrown trees and shrubs that block a clear view among people walking or driving by.
Evaluate your home for its curb appeal. If you see landscaping elements that block street views of your front door and windows, you have a security problem. Those landscaping elements need to be either trimmed or eliminated.
Evaluate Your Doors
First floor windows and doors are the preferred entry point for burglars. Most burglars enter through unlocked windows or doors, but they aren't averse to kicking a door open if they have to. As such, heavy-duty security doors are a good defense against burglars. So are heavy-duty deadbolt locks. The key with your doors is to make entry as difficult as possible.
Evaluate Exterior Lighting
Interior lighting doesn't necessarily dissuade burglars who are convinced a home is unoccupied. Exterior lighting is another matter. Again, burglars don't want to be seen. Automatic lighting placed in strategic locations outside your home can discourage those who would seek to prowl around at night. Good exterior lighting can also dissuade burglars from attempting to break into your car.
Evaluate Your Video Coverage
Lastly, burglars say that video cameras are very effective deterrents to crime. Why? Because they create evidence that can aid investigations and lead to convictions. As such, your final evaluation relates to video coverage. One of the easiest and most effective ways to make your home safe is to install video cameras giving you a full view of the front and rear of your home.
Ensuring your home is secure requires thoughtful effort. It all starts with evaluating your home for security risks.