Many homeowners believe that locking their doors will keep their home secure, yet seasoned thieves can bypass even these precautions and gain entry without difficulty.
Always close your windows and store away valuables out of sight. Also consider asking someone else to collect your mail while you’re out, and consider investing in light timers which will turn on while you’re gone.
1. Forgetting to Lock the Doors
Even the most advanced home security systems cannot protect against simple mistakes that leave your family vulnerable. Locking doors is something most of us take for granted, yet some homeowners forget this important task at night or while away.
Make sure that all first-floor windows and any valuables visible through them are covered and locked, and put any valuables that might be seen through a window into a safe when not being used.
Criminals frequently prowl neighborhoods looking for signs of vacant homes before breaking in, so it is essential that your home appears occupied at all times. Set timers to turn on lights and electronics, cancel mail deliveries and newspaper subscriptions when away and ask neighbors to park in your driveway when you’re not around.
2. Forgetting to Turn Off the Lights
Home security systems can act as an effective deterrent against crime and help keep your family protected, but even the best system won’t perform if simple mistakes occur in its use.
Accidentally leaving lights on is an all too common mistake that can prove hazardous. Doing so allows criminals to gain an idea of the amount of activity at your house and whether anyone is present there.
Criminals frequently peer through windows to scout potential targets for burglaries and assess whether any valuables are visible through them. Therefore, it’s wise to always ensure your windows are closed and locked before leaving home for work, errands or vacation – it may even be worthwhile investing in motorized smart blinds that can be controlled remotely with an app.
3. Forgetting to Turn on the Alarm
Maintaining the security of your home and its inhabitants can be a complex challenge, yet even with expert advice at hand, mistakes may still leave you exposed.
Be careful what you post on social media. An announcement about purchasing an expensive TV or new jewelry could draw burglars looking for easy targets.
Rebuilding relationships with neighbors can also help keep you safer, particularly if they’re nearby when something goes amiss. Neighbors can act as extra eyes watching your home while you’re gone, stopping mail and package deliveries, and turning on lights at random times so it looks like someone is home.
4. Forgetting to Lock the Car
Burglars are highly-sophisticated criminals that take advantage of any mistakes homeowners make with regard to security. Eliminating these common security mistakes will help your home from becoming an attractive target for thieves.
Burglaries occur every 15 seconds in the United States and often occur when no one is home.
People commonly store spare keys under flowerpots or on their doormat to gain entry when they misplace their keys, however giving a spare key to a trusted neighbor may reduce risk and ensure you won’t accidentally give anyone access to your home without proper authorization.
Pruning hedges, trees, and bushes will ensure clear visibility around your property. Also avoid posting about expensive items you have recently acquired and inform neighbors when you will be gone for several days so they can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity at your place.
5. Forgetting to Lock the Pets
Home security systems can help keep you and your loved ones safe by deterring burglars, but it is also essential to be wary of bad habits that could put everyone in the household at risk.
Doing away with your spare key outside is an often-made error that leaves your home open to burglars. While you might think you’re being clever by hiding it under a flowerpot or doormat, this approach is insufficiently secure. A better approach would be giving a copy to someone nearby so they can alert you of any suspicious activity when you are not at home.
Be mindful of what you post online when away from your house, including pictures from vacation or updates of when you plan on being back. Doing this could alert thieves that your home is vacant.
