There is a home burglary every 15 seconds—or about 2 million homes are broken into every year.
Here’s what a reformed burglar has to say about the mistakes people make most often! And, most of these ideas won’t cost you a dime!
Mistake #1 – Not locking doors or leaving the alarm off while running an errand. Even if you plan to be gone for 15 minutes, that’s enough time to for a burglar to ransack your home.
Mistake #2 – Posting an alarm sign that identifies the name of the alarm company. You have just notified the burglar that you have a specific type of alarm system so they know exactly how to disable it. it’s better just to post a “generic” notice that that says, “This House Is Protected by an Alarm System”.
Mistake #3 – Hiding your valuables in your bedroom. That’s the first place burglars look. Keep them in the garage, in a fake soup can, above a removable ceiling tile. Also, don’t hide them all in one place.
Mistake #4 – Thinking that a big dog will deter burglars. Unless your big dog is trained as a guard dog. Most small dogs are “yappers” and will make much more noise.
Mistake #5 – Leaving the lights on when you are gone for several days. Use “timers” that will turn lights off and on in different parts of your house.
Mistake #6 – Stopping your mail or newspaper delivery. Have a neighbor or family member stop by to pick them up. The more activity a burglar sees around the house, the less likely they will target your house.
Mistake #7 – Leaving on outside lights when you are out of town. This just allows the burglar to see better at night. A better solution is to buy a motion detector (about $20) so your lights turn on when someone tries to enter your home.