Don’t Let Your Home be the Next Victim of a Burglary
According to data from the FBI, 65% of home burglaries occur between the hours of 6am and 6pm when most people are at work. 35% of burglars enter right through the front door and the master bedroom is usually the first room that is targeted. Approximately 40% of annual home burglaries are not forced entries, meaning someone was able to gain entry almost as easily as if they had a key.
Listed here are some precautionary steps you can take to make your home a less likely target. Read on to discover 15 things you can do to make your home a safer haven.
1. Make your home look occupied. Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time such as a vacation, connect some lamps to automatic timers for them to go on in the evening and off during the day.
2. On that same note, do not allow your home to look “unoccupied”. When you are away on vacation, don’t allow daily deliveries of mail or newspapers that can build up while you are gone. Arrange to have those deliveries held or have a friend or relative pick them up regularly.
3. Keep your garage door closed AND locked.
4. Arrange to have your yard mowed if you are going to be away for an extended period of time.
5. Install deadbolt locks on all of your outside doors.
6. Install curtains or shades on garage and basement windows. Do not allow thieves to see inside your home.
7. Trim trees and shrubs around your home so that they can not be used as hiding places.
8. Make sure all door hinges are on the inside.
9. Install strong exterior doors, solid wood or metal provides a better protection against break-ins.
10. Change locks immediately if your keys are lost or stolen.
11. Lawn mowers, snow blowers, barbecue grills and other valuable items should be stored out of sight, preferably in a locked structure.
12. Never leave keys under doormats, flowerpots, mailboxes or in other “hiding” places. Burglars always know where to look.
13. Install a lock on pet doors. Make sure your pet door can not be used as a point of entry for an intruder.
14. Form a Neighborhood Watch Group. Be a good neighbor, if you notice anything suspicious in your neighborhood, call 911 immediately.
15. Don’t post your vacation on Social Media. Wait until you return to post your vacation pictures, your friends will not mind seeing your favorite vacation pictures a week later.
These are just a few tips to help prevent a potential burglary. Also, remember to verify with your agent that you have coverage on your homeowner’s policy for burglary and/or theft. Remember, some items such as jewelry, guns, collectables and other items have limits. Make sure you review this with your agent to verify that you have the coverage you need.
(Rockingham Insurance Eden, NC – Serving Greensboro, Mayodan, Madison, Burlington, Elon, Reidsville, Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Kernersville, and surrounding areas in North Carolina.)