How to Think Like a Burglar

Most people are respectable law-abiding citizens and tend not to have criminal minds.

However, as a homeowner, sometimes it helps to tap into your dark side to create a mental checklist of things to fall back on to deter those who make a living conjuring up ways to burglarize homes.

Adopting the mindset of a burglar might just save you from becoming a would-be victim.

Difficulty Is Key

Like most things in life people will often choose the easiest route to achieve their goals, this is especially true for burglars. Having an overall picture of your current home security setup and what you need to improve upon can go a long way in helping you avoid problems.

Things to Consider

• Survey your property for trees, shrubs or any other items that might potentially obscure the view of any suspicious activity. A burglar could you hide behind any nearby trees or bushes, making their efforts to invade your home unnoticeable and easier.
• Consider installing security lights. Burglars seek out empty properties so having motion sensor security lights will make them think twice about breaking into your home – especially at night.
• Walk around your house. Check all the entry points to your property and assess the potential dangers. Do you have glass in your doors? Does your back door need a high-security lock? Do your patio doors require a padlock?
• If you were a burglar and you saw a home with an alarm system would you still attempt to burglarize it? Burglars use their eyes and common sense when selecting potential victims. Security cameras have been shown to be the number one deterrent to home invasions.
• Does your home look appealing from the outside? In other words, do your doors and windows look like they can be easily forced. Check your door handles and locks to see if they have become weak over time. Add extra window locks or restrictors to deter opportunistic burglars.
• Burglars are attracted by expensive items that are left on display. Make sure you leave your laptops, jewelry, and money out of view of your front windows and patio doors.