Ten Uncommon Home Security Tips

Burglars are just as lazy as everyone else, and will almost always choose the path of least resistance when attempting to make a score.  Utilizing these basic tips will enhance your home security without robbing your wallet.

1.  Promote a Positive Posture

For criminals, a high likelihood of success is the single greatest factor in target selection. In most cases, criminals are first made aware of a potential target by something that is overheard.    If you are out in public, making statements like, "We take our security very seriously" is much more favorable than, "Did you hear the house across the street was robbed? We have nothing protecting us either."  Whenever possible, promote the fact that you take your security seriously. You never know who is listening.

2. Use your car alarm

Leave your car parked outside the garage or out front on the street. if you hear something in the middle of the night, press your car alarm panic button. The flashing lights and car horn will be enough of a deterrent to make a criminal think twice.

3. Someone should always seem home

Avoid promoting the fact that no one is home.  Keep a few lights on low or a TV with the sound on.  Don't let your mail or newspapers pile up in front of your door. Forcing a criminal to question if someone is home, is often enough for them to transfer to another target.

4. Talk to your neighbors

Not all crimes happen at night, and criminals may disguise themselves as contractors, delivery services, or landscapers to gain access to your property.  Use your neighbors as a resource.  A simple text message between neighbors indicating professional services on each other's property's is a great communication tool.  Remember:

Safety requires the participation of everyone.

5. Hide and Seek

Employ creative hiding places. Criminals are always operating on a tight timeline and will target the most obvious locations first. Don't keep anything of value in the top bedroom drawer.

6.  Use your shredder

Cross-shred anything sensitive before it goes in the trash.  Some criminals do research on their intended targets looking for information proving that their hunches were accurate and that targeting your home is worth the risk. Your garbage provides a lot of information about you like, where you shop, and what you buy - all three are indications of wealth and assets.

7. Build a basic burglar alarm

Take a glass jar and partially fill it with loose change. Prop the glass up against a door.  If the door opens, the glass tips over and the change rattles. This trick works for stacked quarters on window locks too.  If you have carpet floors, put a cookie tray under the window for the change to hit when it falls.

8. Use what you have available

Door wedges aren't just for holding doors open, they can also be used to keep doors wedged shut - so can wooden spoons and spatulas.

9. Lock your doors and window

Seems obvious, but the "garage door that is always open"  will eventually be used against you.  If it has a lock - lock it.  (and please don't keep your spare key under the front door mat)

10. "Broken Window Theory"