Are you really safe once you get home and lock your doors?  Protecting your home and family should be high on your list of priorities. According to the FBI, a burglary occurs somewhere in the United States every 15.4 seconds.  Most home burglaries occur during the day when most people are away at work or school.  Most burglaries are committed by young males under 25 years of age looking for items that are small, expensive, and can easily be converted to cash such as jewelry, guns, watches, computers, video players, and other small electronic devices.  Seventy percent of burglars use some amount of force to enter a dwelling.   Although home burglaries may seem random, the burglar is careful to choose an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and the best escape route.  In other words, the burglar will bypass your home if it requires too much effort. Here are some suggestions to minimize your risk by making your home unattractive to potential burglars: Trim hedges, trees, and foliage away from windows and doors to prevent hiding places for intruders.Be careful where you leave your spare keys.  Intruders check window ledges and under flowerpots and welcome mats.  A better alternative is to allow a neighbor to have a key.Use timers for both exterior and interior lighting.  Use them on a daily basis, not just when you’re on vacation.  A dark home lets a burglar know that you are away.Install a home safe and use it every day so it becomes routine.  Home safes are designed to protect you from smash and grab burglars as well as dishonest babysitters, housekeepers, or other service personnel. Permanently mark your valuables.  Many police agencies encourage you to engrave them with your driver’s license number (not your social security number).  Keep pictures and records of all marked objects in a safe place.Install deadbolts on all exterior doors and replace door strike plates with heavy duty, high security strike plates.  Contact a reputable locksmith or hardware store for advice and assistance.If you are going away for an extended period of time, remember to stop the mail and paper delivery, leave a car in your driveway, and have someone mow your lawn, rake leaves, and shovel snow. And finally, consider installing a perimeter security system in your home.  Perimeter systems are intended to protect people as well as property.  They are designed to protect all of the accessible points of entry. For more information on home (or business) security systems, contact SHIELD Security Systems at (586) 468-6200.  We will be happy to answer all your security questions! SHIELD® Security Systems has been protecting homes and businesses since 1976.  We currently have 17 locations located throughout the United States including one right here in Detroit.  We are locally owned and operated, require no long-term contracts, and guarantee our $19.50 monthly monitoring fee for up to 5 years!  For a FREE security consultation for your home or business call (586) 468-6200.  To learn more, visit our web site at www.shield-security.com.