You may be unaware, but most burglaries actually happen during the day and are typically what we call “Crimes of opportunity”. This type of burglary has little or no pre planning and often happens when a perpetrator realizes that they have a window of opportunity to commit a crime and seizes it without much thought. So what are the best ways to prevent burglary in your home? How do you avoid giving someone the window to commit a crime of opportunity? Today, we’re going to go over some basic tips that will help you prevent burglary in your home.
Defining Your Property
It’s always a good idea to clearly define where your yard begins and where the public area around your yard starts. You don’t necessarily have to build high, solid walls around your yard as long as you’re defining it in some other way. In fact, keeping your property looking clean and well kept is one of the best deterrents when it comes to burglary. You can define the layout of your yard with plants, half fencing, decorative lights, bushes, flowers, etc, and this will send a better message than thick and high walls would ever send to passerby and anyone trying to take advantage of your home.
Personalize Your Property
Putting some time into landscaping even smaller properties can be the best deterrent when it comes to burglary and also adds a personal touch to your home and yard. Your yard should reflect what kind of person you are and what you enjoy. However, as you personalize your yard remember to also stay simple, clean and neat. Never design your landscaping in such a way that you can’t see through it. Shrubs and tree canopies should never under any circumstances be lower than four or five feet tall. Your neighbors should be able to also see into your yard and help keep watch, so your bushes and shrubs shouldn’t be higher than three or four feet tall. Personalization is important, but don’t allow it to become a stumbling block for security.
Light it Up!
Never allow the outside of your house to be completely veiled in darkness. It makes a burglar’s job significantly easier. It’s a good idea and a great deterrent to install motion sensor lights around doors and windows and even the perimeter of your property that sits close to your house. Aim for a low level of light that blankets your house at night and you’ll have a much easier time keeping crime out.
Be Community Minded
Spending time getting to know your neighbors, out walking and gardening, assisting with the local neighborhood watch and helping to maintain a healthy relationship within your community not only brings vibrancy, but also helps foster good relationships that will deter crime and provide security to not only yourself and your home, but also the other members of the community.
Keeping crime out of your home, yard and neighborhood become significantly easier when there is a group to back you up and help you out. Remember to keep your yard clean, well-lit and use your landscape as a first defense when it comes to preventing burglary. Don’t be caught by a crime of opportunity. Lock your doors and windows when you leave the house. Consider getting a perimeter fence and befriend neighbors that can help you keep an eye out. With good perimeter security and the right planning, you can be part of the movement to stop all crime in its tracks.
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