When fortifying your home and making it a security fortress, you may forget minor details that act as weak links in the chain. Moreover, your idea of who a burglar is is probably no longer what it used to be. Today, burglars have more confidence and can approach your property even during the day, especially between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm, looking like contracted workers. Therefore, it would be a good idea to look at some elements that make your home a break-in target.
- Low security and visibility
Although US statistics indicate a growing trend in daylight criminal home invasions, the more ‘traditional’ times still hold. Many burglars are more comfortable breaking into homes at night when people are sleeping and are not likely to hear sudden sounds. With that said, if your home’s exterior is poorly lit and has many pockets of darkness around it, it can become attractive to burglars. Minimal security, poor lighting, and invisibility are three elements burglars thrive on to succeed at what they do.
Suppose your property provides all these enticing elements. In that case, there is no way a motivated burglar will turn a blind eye to that ‘invitation.’ To avoid becoming a statistic, it would be a good idea to scope out your house to detect any weak link. It would also be a good moment to consider hiring the services of a home security company if you don’t already have one.
- Strong indications you’re not home
In this day of social media and people living there, it has become almost a lifestyle for people to announce trips on these platforms. According to security experts, this isn’t always right. Instead, what happens is alerting a potential robber or burglar about your absence from home for a long period. That alone provides ammunition for a perfectly planned break-in. Apart from that inadvertent announcement on social media, other signs can also speak volumes to a thief.
If you always leave your outdoors dark when you go away, that becomes a signal. Perhaps you failed to invest in smart outdoor lighting that controls itself digitally or can be monitored remotely by the homeowner. There are many examples to cite. Still, the objective here is to avoid indulging in activities that indirectly advertise your absence from home, whether for a short period or longer.
- Unsecured garage door
How secure is your garage door? Can it be opened from the outside or both ways? If you’re not sure, perhaps, you will want to try that out yourself. A well-secured garage door is usually equipped with high-quality doors. For more security, sectional garage doors are popular in safety-conscious homes. Depending on the type of garage door you have, there are other things to be mindful of. For example, look out for signs of rust and weakness along the edges. These are indications that your garage door condition is deteriorating and needs immediate attention. If you can afford a replacement, you have the option to go ahead. If not, you can still employ expert services to reinforce the strength of your garage door.Finally, it would be good to secure your garden shed if you have one on your premises. This is to prevent burglars from accessing tools that can be used to gain entry into the main house.