Four times every minute, day in and day out, a residence is hit by burglars; and with the budget cuts in many police departments across the country, the rate of apprehension and conviction is on the way down. With only 15% of the stolen items ever recovered, it's fair to say that burglary carries a minimal risk.
Let's look at burglary as if it were a business. Every business runs on a well thought out plan which gives it the greatest chance of success. The business plan of a burglar is surveillance – very few burglaries are random, and the perpetrators have checked their targets many times before they strike. They want to assure themselves that the target is weak and will offer minimal resistance, if any at all.
As a homeowner, how can you put up a deterrent to potential burglars? How can you secure your perimeter?
• A burglar will shy away from anything that poses a risk to him. A video camera certainly does that by capturing his image for the police files. Even phony security cameras can be effective, from a distance they look as if they are real, blinking light and all.
• Strong doors with dead bolts are almost impossible to breach. A dead bolt cannot be jimmied as it sets into the door frame by at least an inch. Speed is important to a burglar; a dead bolt on the door will slow him down or even stop him dead.
• A dog is great deterrent, not only will the barking alert you into action; it will run off even the most determined burglar.
• Make sure your surroundings are well lit, or that you have exterior lighting that is activated by movement. Burglars prefer dark areas which give them cover while they attempt to break in through a window or door.
• Burglars will often case your home, looking through the windows to see if there are valuables that are worth their effort to steal. Closed drapes or shuttered windows will eliminate this initial surveillance, leaving the burglar in the dark as to the value of the home’s contents.
• Monitored home security systems are by far the best solution. Not only is the security system working when you are not at home, it can be a sentinel once the residents retire for the night. Windows and doors are equipped with sensors that send a signal instantly to a monitoring station which then take the appropriate action.
Let's look at burglary as if it were a business. Every business runs on a well thought out plan which gives it the greatest chance of success. The business plan of a burglar is surveillance – very few burglaries are random, and the perpetrators have checked their targets many times before they strike. They want to assure themselves that the target is weak and will offer minimal resistance, if any at all.
As a homeowner, how can you put up a deterrent to potential burglars? How can you secure your perimeter?
• A burglar will shy away from anything that poses a risk to him. A video camera certainly does that by capturing his image for the police files. Even phony security cameras can be effective, from a distance they look as if they are real, blinking light and all.
• Strong doors with dead bolts are almost impossible to breach. A dead bolt cannot be jimmied as it sets into the door frame by at least an inch. Speed is important to a burglar; a dead bolt on the door will slow him down or even stop him dead.
• A dog is great deterrent, not only will the barking alert you into action; it will run off even the most determined burglar.
• Make sure your surroundings are well lit, or that you have exterior lighting that is activated by movement. Burglars prefer dark areas which give them cover while they attempt to break in through a window or door.
• Burglars will often case your home, looking through the windows to see if there are valuables that are worth their effort to steal. Closed drapes or shuttered windows will eliminate this initial surveillance, leaving the burglar in the dark as to the value of the home’s contents.
• Monitored home security systems are by far the best solution. Not only is the security system working when you are not at home, it can be a sentinel once the residents retire for the night. Windows and doors are equipped with sensors that send a signal instantly to a monitoring station which then take the appropriate action.
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