Understanding What Burglars Look for

When we help customers create home security plans, we try to see their property through the eyes of a burglar. In so doing, we aim to help our customers address any and all vulnerabilities around their homes. After all, knowing what burglars look for can help us effectively make your home a less attractive target. Using this approach can greatly reduce the chances of falling prey to a crime. Moreover, it also helps reduce the damage done if a thief still attempts to break in to your home. In today’s post, we aim to help you with understanding what burglars look for to help you combat these threats.

First, we’ll explain how a moving van in front of a home acts as an open invitation to many thieves. From there, we’ll help you remove evidence of valuables from the outside of your home. Then, we’ll reveal what easy entry looks like from the outside, and how you can make your home less attractive to those scoping out a neighborhood for houses to victimize. In the same vein, we’ll also detail how failing to keep up with your home’s surroundings can also create an inviting atmosphere for the wrong crowd. Finally, we’ll shift our focus to helping you keep your mail and package delivery situation under control to help avoid unwanted attention on your home. Now, let’s dive in to our primer on understanding what burglars look for when committing their crimes with a look at what a moving van represents to a burglar.

A Moving Van

Why do we put a moving van op top of our list of a what burglars look for? Because it often signals two of a burglar’s favorite things: the presence of valuables and an empty home. Of course, it is impossible to eliminate all signs when moving into or out of a home. However, we pointed out in our 7 Tips to Improve Home Security for New Homeowners that adding security measures before moving is completed can help! First and foremost, installing a home security system can create a siren and police response to a breach. We also recommend installing cameras in case a crime does occur on your property. Home alarm systems often scare burglars away shortly after attempting a crime.

Additionally, residential surveillance cameras can help solve a crime if one does happen and even act as a deterrent if an individual considering a break-in attempt notices your surveillance measures. If you are moving into a home, do not wait until you settle in to install these security measures. Conversely, if you are moving out of a home, consider adding temporary measures that you can re-install at your new location. We can help you find both burglar alarm and surveillance equipment that you can take with you to your new home after completing the move. Now, let’s look at how to keep evidence of any valuables in your home private.

Evidence of Valuables in Your Home

The more obvious it is that a burglary would prove a useful endeavor, the more likely a criminal is to try it. Therefore, keeping evidence of these items in check can add a good measure of home security. For starters, always avoid leaving televisions, computers, and video gaming systems within reach of windows. Allowing burglars to reach into your home and grab these items without entering always creates a hard-to-avoid temptation. Additionally, walk by your home and notice what you can see from the street. If neighbors can stop outside and see your television shows or see a computer in a front window that looks in on a home office, you may want to change the layout of these rooms.

Finally, watch what you show in social media posts when you post pictures inside your house. For example, our post on Taking Steps to Prevent Post-Holiday Crime warned against posting pictures of flashy, expensive new gifts on social media. Having these pictures seen by the wrong eyes can increase your chances of someone breaking in and looking for these items. Keeping both physical and online evidence of your most prized possessions away from prying eyes can help avoid your home meeting this item on a burglar’s checklist. Now, let’s look at how evidence of an easy entrance can entice a criminal.

Easy Entry Points

So far, we’ve pointed out that burglars look for empty homes and homes with valuables inside. Additionally, burglars want to come and go as quickly as possible. Allowing them to do so can put your home’s security in danger. Occasionally, homeowners make easily-avoidable mistakes that create these opportunities. For example, open windows act as an invitation for trouble. Unlocked doors also detract from your security. While burglars do need to approach the home and test the door to discover this opportunity, some criminals do just this. Posing as a canvassing salesman or politician allows thieves to knock on doors inconspicuously. If the homeowners do not answer, a quick check of the door will go unnoticed by passersby. If the door is unlocked, these thieves in disguise can enter once the coast is clear.

Additionally, evidence of cheap or ineffective security measures can also attract crime. For example, doors without deadbolts make for easy fodder for burglars. Poorly installed locks or old locks weakened by years of weather exposure can also signal an easy entry point into your home. Just as evidence of easy entry attracts burglars, evidence of strong door hardware can deter them. For some ideas on how to create this security, read up on How Professional Locksmith Services Help Homeowners. Now, let’s look at how the way you maintain your yard can affect your home’s security.

Unkempt Bushes, Shrubbery, and Lawns

Allowing your bushes and shrubbery to outgrow their usual height can attract burglars for a couple reasons. For one, your shrubbery can provide a hiding place for burglars that allows them to attempt entry into your home from safe cover. Additionally, an uncared-for perimeter often points to an empty home. If you do plan an extended absence from your home, consider hiring someone to take care of your lawn and gardens for you in your absence. Anything that points to an unoccupied home will create a “check” on a burglar’s checklist. Our next section deals with the a similar security faux pa that often points to an empty house. Now, let’s look at how a mail backup can create a home security nightmare.

Piles of Mail and Packages at Your Door

While your lawn can wait a week or two for caring before giving your home an “abandoned” look, you cannot say the same about your mail. Daily mail delivery can back up quickly and advertise an empty home to passersby. Furthermore, packages left on doorsteps can create a security issue in more than one way. For starters, thieves often steal these packages. Additionally, packages and backed-up mail often create evidence of an empty home. We recommend having the post office hold your mail during any extended absences. You can also ask neighbors to watch your door for non-USPS packages and flyers that get dropped off at your home as well.

Furthermore, consider adding security equipment to monitor your driveway and porch area. As we mentioned earlier, a home surveillance system can help add this security. We also offer a specific piece of security equipment for just this purpose. We provide and install Alarm.com Skybell doorbell cameras to help you watch the front of your home. These unique cameras allow you to talk to anyone who rings your doorbell from your smartphone. It also records activity and sends video alerts to your phone upon sensing motion, if desired. If you do see something you don’t like, you can voice your displeasure through your phone and have it heard on the other end of the camera! These unique options make Alarm.com doorbell cameras a popular security addition for any home.

Understanding What Burglars Look for and Creating Solutions

We hope that this post helps you with understanding what burglars look for before they attempt a break-in. Additionally, we also encourage you to contact us with any questions this post may raise for you. We will happily answer any and all of your security-related inquiries. Moreover, we also invite you to take advantage of our free site survey program. We offer complimentary security audits and equipment quotes to both new and existing customers alike. While on site, we can help you see your property through a burglar’s eyes and make it as unattractive as possible for anyone to target you.

Perhaps you have some security equipment in place now, and want to take advantage of the tips contained in this post. Or, perhaps you have no security plan in place as of yet, but want to get started from the ground up. Either way, we are here to help. Over our 36-plus years in business, we’ve helped over a thousand customers create security and peace of mind for their homes. Together, we can create a complete plan to keep your home, your valuables, and your property as safe and secure as possible.