We can thank October for bringing us the spooky holiday of Halloween. And while we can’t wait to give candy to the little ghosts and goblins in our doorway, there are real ghosts and goblins during this time of year that are looking for more than candy. October is #NationalCrimePreventionMonth. Take the proper measures to protect your home from crime.
Lock All Doors & Windows. Lock your doors and windows, including garage doors, with heavy-duty locks even when you are at home. Secure windows and sliding doors with secondary blocking implements (e.g. a block of wood, a broomstick, or wooden dowel) for added protection.
Walk around the outside of your home and look for weaknesses. Take a look at your home through the eyes of a burglar. If you can tell that a window can be easily opened, so can a thief. Contact your local police department; they’ll give a courtesy home assessment.
Shrubbery around entrances should be trimmed. Don’t create a hiding spot for a thief, who can easily hide behind neglected shrubbery. A thief may only need a few minutes of cover to make his entry. Make sure he has no place to hide.
Store pricey items like grills, cars, and bikes in the garage. While it may seem like a bother to roll out the grill for every barbecue, leaving it out makes it an easy target for thieves. Since it is on wheels, it is easy to grab.
Install motion sensor lighting around your home, mainly at entrances. Shine a spotlight on a possible intruder before they can enter your home. Add additional lighting with motion detectors at entrances, particularly around the dark corners of your home.
Get to know your neighbors. Crime tends to be lower in tight-knit communities as your neighbors are more likely to look out for each other. Your neighbors can be one of your best resources in home crime prevention, offering extra eyes and an additional perspective.
Keep your yard free of toys and tools. A yard littered with toys tells a thief a house may be offering interesting entertainment, like game consoles, tablets, or laptops.
When it comes to your home, your property, and your neighborhood, stay observant and be mindful of your surroundings. Stay engaged with your neighbors and community events. Consider joining a neighborhood app like Next Door This is a social networking platform for local communities and neighborhoods, created to connect you to those in your surrounding area, people post looking for babysitters, sharing news of locals events, and news of suspicious behavior. It is not meant to alarm community members, but to make them aware.
