How to Protect Your Home from Burglaries

How to Protect Your Home from Burglaries

Every day, thousands of homes are broken into and burglarised by criminals. There are several different reasons for these burglaries and several different types of burglars. In order to protect yourself from burglaries, you need to know what kinds of burglars there are. Once you understand the different types of criminals, you’ll be able to deter or prevent them from breaking into your house.

The first and most easily deterred type of criminal is the mischief maker. These are typically teenagers who have too much time on their hands; the most difficult to deter is the professional. These are people who treat burglaries as their actual job: they have plans, permanent buyers, and a sophisticated operation.

Mischief Makers

As previously stated, the mischief makers are the most easily deterred criminals. These are oftentimes kids or teenagers who are out with their mates and see an opportunity to commit some mischief. They are slightly different from the opportunist criminals in that they might not actually have criminal intent when they set out that day. A mischief maker will see an unlocked door, a door that is ajar, or an open window. That is often enough invitation for them. They’re more likely to jump a fence and trespass on locations that are abandoned or under construction. They are in it for adventure and thus are easy to deter. A good locksmith in Barnstaple can install locks to keep them out of your property.

The Opportunists

Opportunists are similar to mischief makers, but they have more nefarious intent. Instead of looking for adventure and criminal mischief, they are actually looking to steal from you. They often commit robberies when they see an easy opportunity. For example, if they are walking down the street and see that a window is open, they may choose to climb into the window to steal from you. They’re fairly easy to deter as well. Locking your doors and windows is absolutely crucial to deterring an opportunist.

Additionally, you should keep your lights turned off and/or your blinds drawn. If you draw your blinds or turn the lights off, they will not be able to see into your house from the street. If an opportunist cannot see into your house, he or she likely won’t break in. They won’t case your house in advance, so they have no way of knowing if you have anything of value to them.

The Professionals

The professionals are the most difficult to deter. To deter and/or prevent professionals from breaking into your home, you’ll need to be vigilant. Some people may go the extra mile and even get a quick access gun safe installed in their homes, and learn how to use a handgun for self-defense. This can actually be helpful, provided that the relevant gun laws are being followed and appropriate licenses held. Cylinder snapping is a common method for them to break into your house. It involves breaking the actual apparatus of your door lock. To prevent that, you’ll need locks designed to resist snapping efforts.

You also need to be aware of distraction burglary efforts. If someone comes posing as a construction worker, contractor, utilities worker, or anyone who would likely be allowed into your home, check with their supervisors before letting them into your house. Vigilance is the key to staying safe.

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