Tips on How to Protect Your Home and Family
Last week, we had a bit of excitement in our neighborhood. Someone tried to break into multiple homes during the middle of the night ...
Our neighborhood's not known for having such problems. The police reported it had been years since there'd been any calls received from the area.
We're all lucky. No actual entry was made in any homes. No one was hurt. Nothing was taken. We're all thankful for that.
We're also lucky because our neighborhood is fairly tight-knit. Talk about this incident spread fast and info got exchanged quickly.
Many of us have security systems. Because of that, the police now have a variety of good pictures of our "visitor". A huge advantage to them ... and us both.
This experience proved one thing clearly to me. Burglaries can happen anywhere. No area's immune. It also motivated me to educate myself a bit regarding burglary and protecting my home and family.
Below are some of the tips I found most beneficial. Many are common sense and easily accomplished. Others provide ideas a bit more unconventional and beyond those typically seen.
I hope you think seriously about conducting the following preventative measures around your home or adding them into your daily routine ...
How to Protect Your Chicagoland Home and Family:
- Change all exterior lighting to those with motion detectors. Light is a burglar's enemy.
- Let neighbors know that you have installed motion detectors. That way if you're away and they see lights activated, they're on the alert for suspicious things taking place on your property
- If you choose to plant shrubs or flowers near your home/windows, make sure they're thorny plants
- When away, use multiple on/off light timers with more than one on/off cycle to simulate movement from room to room
- Don't stop your mail or deliveries when away. Instead, have them picked up. Seeing deliveries made makes burglars wonder if someone's home
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Don't talk about your vacation plans in salons,restaurants, etc. ... or ONLINE.
- Post vacation pictures after you get home
- Lock the door between the inner part of your home and the add-on garage while at work and during the night.
- When kids come home late at night, have them follow a lock-up/security routine
- Lock your sheds or outer storage units up, especially if they contain ladders or tools that would aid in a break-in
- If you keep your garbage/recycling cans in the garage, make sure you keep your garage door closed at all times (even if working in your yard) and locked up at night.
- Shred, shred, shred documents before you recycle or throw them in the garbage
- Breakdown boxes of high-value gifts or equipment. Boxes of this nature placed for curbside pickup are like advertisements to burglars
- If you have a keypad entry at your door or garage, replace the pad periodically. Older pads (via their wear patterns) reveal codes
- Keep important documentation, a detailed inventory, passports, etc. in a fireproof safety lockbox. Store that box in your basement where it's less likely to be found and heat is less in case of fire
- Pet doors are becoming more and more popular. Should you have one, make sure it's not a place of entry for burglars. Get a lock for it
- Place simple rubber door-jambs at entry doors at night.
- Ladies! Don't leave your purse in the line of sight from windows and doors. Same goes for computers, cell phones, wallets, and keys
- If you have a wall air-conditioning unit, secure it in order to disable it being used for entry
- Make the security of your home and locking of doors and windows a priority and a routine followed systematically
- Establish a relationship and get to know your neighbors. Watch out for one another
Hopefully, you never experience a burglary. By implementing and practicing the above, and other steps of protection, you certainly lower the possibility of it.
Be aware ... and take care ...
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