Most residential burglaries are crimes of opportunity. Criminals look for easy targets where the risk of detection is low. Chances are good you can lower the burglary appeal at your home by improving security. The more you do to keep your home from looking like an easy mark, the greater your chances of avoiding a break-in. The National Sheriffs’ Association recommends following the three D’s of burglary prevention:

Deter—Use security measures and good locks as deterrents, since they eliminate the opportunity for an easy burglary.

Detect—Force burglars to work where they can be observed to increase the possibility of detection. No burglar wants to draw attention by breaking glass or smashing doors. Alarms on doors and windows are the best way to detect a burglar, but alert neighbors who will notify law enforcement about unusual activity are also an effective means of detection.

Delay—Burglars want to avoid being caught, so the longer it takes to force a door or window, the greater the risk. It is nearly impossible to make a house or apartment impregnable, but it’s relatively easy and inexpensive to delay a burglar by making forced entry difficult. Delaying a burglar for four minutes is generally considered sufficient to prevent entry into a residence. If you can cause a criminal to take more time, make more noise and be more visible, you might prevent completion of a crime or deter the attempt altogether. Your first step will be to take a hard look at your property to assess what areas provide easy entry for a prospective burglar. Use the above principles of deterrence, detection and delay to inspect security at your home. Survey entry points including all doors and windows. Inspect locks, lights and landscaping, both in the daytime and at night. Copy our Home Inspection Checklist to locate weaknesses around your home, then take steps to correct them using the guidelines that follow. Crime prevention begins at home. Take a proactive approach to avoid becoming a victim instead of reacting after a burglar has made off with your valuables.

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