Simple and Inexpensive Burglary Deterrents
Most burglars don’t want to enter homes when people are inside. They want to get in, steal what they can, and then get out as quickly as possible. There are a number of things that you can do to increase the security of your home without the need to sign up with an alarm company. Let’s take a look at a few ideas that may give you greater peace of mind while convincing burglars to go somewhere else.
Fake Television
There are some products on the market that mimic the lights that a television emits in the dark. They can be placed strategically so they give the impression that someone is watching TV when a potential intruder approaches a home. This is a powerful way to make them think twice about continuing with their plans. One thing to think about: Placing one downstairs is more effective than upstairs because it will appear that the ground floor is occupied.
Fake Security Camera
These are getting more and more popular as research shows that fakes work just as well as the real ones. The only difference is that if the camera doesn’t deter the burglar, there’s no recording of their activities inside the home. However, you can pick up a good fake camera that looks just like a real one, install it in a conspicuous location and add an additional layer of protection to keep the bad guys out.
Door Alarms
Door alarms are designed to sound if enough pressure is exerted from the outside. This will accomplish three things. First, it will scare the person who is attempting to gain entry. Second, the alarm will alert you or anyone else inside the home, and give you time to mount a defense. Finally, a good alarm can get attention from the neighbors. Just make sure that you get a quality device that won’t go off with every gust of wind or slight movement. The last thing you want is a lot of false alarms that desensitize you or your neighbors if a real threat ever shows up.
Adjustable Light Timers
If you are going out of town for a few days, consider getting an adjustable light timer that will turn on and off lights at different intervals.
This will eliminate predictable patterns that burglars can detect if they are casing a house. You can also find products that can be connected to your phone, tablet or laptop or controlled from a remote location.
Get a Dog
We’ve talked about how effective dogs are when it comes to protecting property before, but it’s worth mentioning again. A good dog that knows how to bark when strangers approach the house is probably the best deterrent out of this list. Few things will make potential burglars move on to another house than a ferocious bark, and a dog that can back up its bark with a bite is even better.
Remember that there is no single solution to effectively protecting your property. You want multiple layers of security in order to make it as unappealing to burglars as possible. Multiple layers also give you more time to call the police and prepare to confront the potential threat. Consider these along with some of the many other options out there that you can easily put in place. While there is no such thing as a perfect system, you can definitely reduce the chances of becoming victimized by making your property look as active and well-protected as possible.