There’s many strategies that homeowners are commonly advised to implement in order to help discourage and deter burglars from attempting to commit crimes in their homes. However, a few of these strategies are somewhat overblown, and pale in comparison to the heavy protection offered through strategies like high quality deadbolt lock installation. In this blog post, the home security experts here at Chicago Locksmiths will detail some of the most overrated burglar deterrents out there today.
Hiding Cash Under the Bed
People are often advised to hide their valuables in their bedroom, underneath their mattress. However, this is actually the first place most burglars would look – even the least skilled burglar will likely check the bedroom first. Make sure to choose a less obvious place to hide your cash or jewelry – we recommend installing a high quality safe, but if you can’t do that, consider a shoebox buried in a closet.
Don’t Advertise your Security Company
You might want to advertise what security company monitors your home with a big sign that could deter burglars, but this actually helps give burglars the potential to utilize information about the company’s systems to get past the alarm. Instead of posting a sign letting burglars know exactly the name of the security company, post a generic sign letting people on your property know that your home is being MONITORED to begin with.
Lights
Many people say to leave lights on to create the illusion that you are home, however most burglars have caught on to this strategy, and are able to understand a home is empty when a single light is turned on non-stop. Rather, turn lights on sporadic timers (or even better, control smart lights directly) in a non-patterned fashion to create an ACTUAL illusion that somebody is home.
Mail Suspension
If your mailbox has no mail it may actually draw more attention than a full mailbox. If a burglar has been staking out your home for a while, any distinct change in the pattern of appearance of your property will signal to the burglar that somebody might not be home, and it may be time to strike.
