No matter how safe the neighborhood or city is you live in, the threat of burglary is one that will never go away. In 2010, there were over two million burglaries that transpired in the U.S. alone. Although we may feel that our homes are safe because they have not been broken into, break-ins - as previously mentioned - happen more often than you might think. Below, we take a look at some of the most common security blunders made by homeowners.
Not Locking Your Doors Locking the doors should be easy, right? When juggling work, errands, family functions, trying to keep the home clean, while also trying to squeeze in some free time, it’s not surprising how often locking up slips people's’ minds. To remember, try to instill a routine of checking the doors before bed, work, or whenever you leave the house. Also, only keep the garage open when it needs to be. Even during the day, it’s not uncommon for people to raid garages of high-priced goods like lawnmowers, snowblowers, or other valuable commodities.
Ladder Left Outside Leaving a ladder outside your house - or worse, near your windows - is like sending an open invitation for criminals to come climb through your windows; which brings us to our next mistake…
Unlocked Windows Letting in a nice breeze on a mild summer afternoon is great, but leaving windows open when you’re not home - especially the ground-level ones - could very well lead to a break-in. Given the chance of someone attempting to break into your window, you will want to inspect the sash, locks, and overall durability of them at least twice a year. If you’re unsure of the security of your windows, message Wallside Windows for professional advice.
Publicly Announcing Vacations Although you may be excited for your trip, announcing your eagerness to friends, co-workers, or via social media, or people at work that you may not know too well is a definite no-no. It’s possible someone catches wind of you leaving may have ill-intentions and use this information as an opportunity to sneak into your home and steal your possessions.
Source: https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/property-crime/burglarymain
