How to Stop Burglars from Targeting Your Home

There will always be people who think they don’t have to work and earn, but that they can take the things others have earned instead. You can’t do anything about it since you can’t change the world. But you can make sure they won’t take anything from you. If you think there is no need to take this precaution you would probably change your mind if you were aware of the fact that there are four burglaries happening every minute. We know that this could sound like a cliche, but nobody is safe, especially if you’re living in the house. Burglars are not so often targeting apartments inside larger buildings because of the proximity of other tenants, while houses are more isolated and therefore a better target. And don’t think your neighborhood is burglar-free just because there haven’t been any burglaries yet. They can watch or case a house for a long time before they make their move. Anyways, it’s better to be safe than sorry and we’ll point out some ways how to achieve that.

The mechanical eye

According to the former criminals whose trade was robbing houses, the most efficient method of protection is to install security cameras. But the point of installing that watchful mechanical eye is not to strain your own eyes staring at the display all day long. It is quite the opposite - to make your mind at ease. You see, the key thing is to place your security cameras in plain sight, somewhere where they’ll be on display. That way you’re gonna show the burglars that you’re very serious about protecting your home. None of them is fine with being caught on the video footage, even if they wear masks. You could even make a fake camera yourself and use it as a placebo effect, although this is not the best solution for there will always be not-so-bright burglars who’ll take the risk. If you invest in real ones they will actually be caught on footage and most of them have audio alarms that are triggered once a movement is detected. If the house is not yours and you just rent it, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need this kind of security. Yes, the property is not yours, but all the things inside still are. It is very unlikely that your landlords will install the cameras at your request, but you can probably reach an agreement to install them yourself.

The animal voice (and additional features)

Same as with security cameras, just having a dog in your front yard works like a charm. Although this is an old-school method it is still very effective because even burglars are reluctant to expose themselves to a jaw full of sharp teeth. That’s why this can work as a placebo more than cameras.  Of course, it’s not enough just to put a ‛Beware of the Dog’ sign without actually having one. The most important thing is its bark, and it has to be a loud one so it can wake up people inside (and, with any luck, the whole neighborhood). Even a small dog can produce a loud bark, but a bigger one also adds up the visual effect that will be enough to keep most of the burglars at bay. On the other hand, there are some burglars that won’t be put off by this simple demonstration of power and that have ways to trick inexperienced dogs (usually through food, from sleeping pills to poison). It’s your choice, but keep in mind that in order to have a real guardian dog you need to know how to pick and train one. If you wish to use its ‛additional features’ (such as a set of sharp teeth we mentioned at the beginning) you need to learn it when and how to do it. And keep in mind that dogs require companionship and care, so don’t get one if you're not in a situation to take care of it properly.

The stylized fortress

Technology can malfunction, animals can be put to sleep (or worse) but large material obstacles can’t be put aside that easily. Although you can’t have a pull-up bridge like old strongholds used to have, you can still turn your house into a kind of fortress. And the foundation of every fortress’ strength is its wall. Well, building a wall around your house today might make you look like a sociopath, but putting a fence around your property has become a pretty common thing. Nevertheless, you’ll need to stylize things a little bit or you’ll end up being weird in the end. Barbed wire and electric fence seem too eccentric (almost as a pull-up bridge) but if you blend them in the style of your property they’ll become a perfectly normal thing. So the point is to create a kind of functional ornament that will surround your ‛kingdom’. If you’re looking for this kind of unnoticeable security fencing has professionals that will design it to your needs and perform a quick installation.

But the fence is not the only thing that needs to be stylized. If your yard has some shrubs or bushes that are growing out of control it’s about time to tame them with a pair of garden scissors.  It’s not just for the pretty effect, but they can also present a perfect hiding place for burglars if not trimmed properly. Burglars don’t need to overcome your fence if you’ve let them in and don’t make sure you’ve let them out. They can hide in your yard and wait for the right opportunity to break in. That’s why you need to make sure there are no dark places and shadows. To keep everything illuminated throughout the whole night will probably be too much and it can even attract undesired attention, but you can install motion sensor lights so their first step will get them right under the spotlight.

Well, now your home looks like a real castle, but not the one anyone is likely to target. Surrounded by a fence, guarded by ‛large beasts’ and upgraded by technology it is an impenetrable fortress indeed. They can look, but they cannot touch.