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We would never dream of standing out on the street and inviting burglars to come into our homes. Yet we do it without even knowing it. Security experts and law enforcement consistently point out a frustrating irony: so many home break-ins are not the result of criminals bypassing sophisticated, cutting-edge electronic security systems.
Instead, they are the result of burglars taking advantage of simple mistakes homeowners make every day.
Vivint Home Security is a nationwide leader in electronic home security. Their new HomeProtect package is an affordable way to get started in home security without spending a bundle. Regardless, the experts at Vivint explain that homeowners routinely broadcast open invitations to burglars through habits meant to increase convenience.
By understanding how a criminal evaluates these habits, homeowners can identify how they are inadvertently inviting burglary.
Here are six things Vivint says homeowners should be especially aware of:
1. Leaving the Garage Open
How many of us, especially those of us who live in suburbia, leave the garage open just for a minute? It is not unusual to leave it open while mowing the lawn, running a quick 15-minute errand, etc. But leaving the garage is arguably the worst thing you could do if you are trying to avoid being burgled.
To a burglar, an open garage door is an unrestricted invitation to look inside. You would be surprised how easy it is to see a garage’s contents from the street. And what burglars see in the garage gives them an indication of what they might find in the house.
Some burglars will quickly step in and grab tools and other easily taken items while you’re not paying attention. Others will mark your house for future burglary. They aren’t satisfied with what they find in the garage. They want to find what’s in the main bedroom, the living room, and the family room.
2. Neglecting Landscaping
You might think that keeping up the landscaping is only a good idea if you are looking to sell. After all, a nice view from the street increases a property’s value. But think about it from a burglar’s perspective. A clear view means not being able to break in without somebody noticing. On the other hand, overgrown landscaping that inhibits the street view creates a natural cover for burglars.
Not keeping landscaping neat and tidy is an open invitation. It tells burglars that there are plenty of blind spots they can exploit to get in. Do not give them that opportunity. Keep the grass cut, trim the shrubs, and do anything else you can to improve the street view.
3. Oversharing on Social Media
Have you ever wondered if burglars use social media? They do. And in fact, they can use social media to find their victims. They look for people who over-share and don’t have the sense to lock down their profiles.
If your social media profiles are an open door to anyone who is watching, be careful about what you share online. Don’t count the days until your next vacation. Do not broadcast the fact that you are thousands of miles away, sitting on a beach and enjoying a pina colada. If your friends can tell you’re not home, so can burglars.
Better yet, lock down your social media profiles so that only your friends and followers can see them. Then be very choosy about whom you grant access to. Not everyone looking to follow you is really your friend.
4. Believing That Hidden Key Is Really a Secret
Thirty years ago, leaving a spare key hidden under a rock or a vase was common practice. It isn’t any longer. Why? Because burglars are smart enough to find keys that homeowners think are secretly hidden away. Don’t leave a spare key outside. A burglar will find it.
Understand that burglars know exactly where homeowners tend to hide keys. They know that hiding spaces are chosen to optimize convenience first. So they will look in the immediate area – like under a rock, under a vase, tucked behind a planter, and so on.
5. Being Content With the Ghost Town Aesthetic
It’s pretty easy to create a ghost town aesthetic when you’re going to be away for a long time. How do you do it? By drawing all the shades, pulling all the curtains, and turning off every interior light. We naturally do these things because we don’t want people peeking inside. Unfortunately, we are not actually deterring burglars. We’re creating a static environment that tells them we aren’t home.
Instead of being content with the ghost town aesthetic, it’s better to make the house lived in as much as possible. Here’s where a home automation system can increase security. Home automation makes it possible to program lights to go on and off during the day. You can also do things like switch the TV on and off, adjust the thermostat, and even control irrigation. The more lived-in the house looks, the less likely you are to be victimized by a burglar.
6. Not Being Careful With the Trash
Finally, you might be inviting burglary if you’re not careful with your trash. Think of it this way. How often do you put out boxes without breaking them down? Over the Christmas holidays, we all have a habit of openly displaying the gifts we purchased by carelessly throwing packaging to the curb, where it remains in open view of any burglar who might be passing by.
Visible waste says a lot about what’s in your home. So do yourself a favor and make sure that all of your garbage is tucked away in a tote before you put it to the curb.
We wouldn’t intentionally invite burglars into our homes. Unfortunately, some of the tasks related to the daily routine do just that. So if you want to protect yourself against burglary, take a look at your daily routine, tie up those loose ends that might be inviting burglars to consider your home as their next target.
