Suffolk Hills

Tips on Making Your Home More Secure

Don't give the burglar a helping hand. Most home burglars are amateurs seeking easy targets. Homes which present the least risk of detection allow the greatest opportunity for easy access and the maximum potential for successful escape. Those are homes which appear unoccupied and unprotected; homes without adequate locks and lighting; and locations that offer concealment from neighbors and passing motorists.

Start with a Survey of Your Home

Identify potential weaknesses around your property. The Neighborhood Watch recommends the following approach to eliminate criminal opportunities. 

• Give your home the appearance of occupancy at all times.
• At night, leave on outdoor lights. Effective, “dark-sky” friendly lighting over doorways and garages, and strategically placed floodlights (particularly those with motion detectors), add to prevention measures.
• Windows and doors should be securely locked. Inadequate locks should be replaced or supplemented.
• Shrubbery should not obscure doors and windows.

Unfortunately, the burglar doesn't need to look very long to discover "Welcome Burglar" signs unwittingly left around many homes. These are easy, effective and inexpensive crime prevention measures that residents should employ.