Take the Extra Step: 12 Ways to Protect Your Home from Burglars

Though you cannot totally protect your home from getting burgled, you would probably be surprised to know that there are no burglars that are as sophisticated as someone like Ethan Hunt from the Mission Impossible movies. However, when you have the right plan in place, you can almost make your home burglar-proof.

When most people think about their home’s security, they only think of a couple of things, such as fake cameras. Though these are nice to have, they don’t fully protect you. A fake camera isn’t going to stop a burglar from kicking in the door. Speaking of the door, the only thing that is separating you and your belongings from a thief is ½ inch piece of pine molding. This isn’t enough. A 12-year-old boy could kick that in, in fact. Instead, it’s best to reinforce your door:

• Install deadbolt/door knob wraps – these devices strengthen the area around the location of the lock
• Door bar jammer – this device is put under the doorknob to stop it from moving
• Door brace – this device makes it difficult to use brute force to kick it down
• Door frame reinforcement – this is installed on the door and is made of steel

You also might consider something like a Door Devil. This is a kit that features a device molded from steel It is placed over the jamb of the door, and then screwed into the frame. It’s very easy to install, and adds another level of protection for your house. When you combine a device like the Door Devil with other types of security, such as a security system, detection lights, or cameras, it is difficult for a burglar to get in.

Here are 12 more tips to keep the burglars out:

1. Keep all of your doors locked, even if you are home, and even if it is light out.
2. Keep your curtains and blinds shut. This ensures that no one can peek inside of your house to check out your valuables.
3. Use door reinforcements on each and every door and use top-flight locks.
4. Place security films on the windows. This helps to strengthen the panes and prevents any object from coming in, including baseball bats and crow bars.
5. Bring in all newspapers and mail in as soon as they get there.
6. Give your home a look that it is lived in, even if you aren’t home. Set up automated lights to be on at night.
7. PennyMac says Put a pair of scuffed and worn men’s work boots at the doors of your house.
8. If you park your car in the driveway, place a pair of men’s gloves on the dashboard. When burglars see this, they often think twice about breaking in because they believe a large, burly man lives in the house.
9. Put a large dog bowl outdoors by the door, and make it look real. Add a leash or chewed up dog toys, too.
10. Trim up any shrubs that hide points of entrance into your home.
11. Go online to the Google News site. Type in your city and state, and then the phrase “door kicked in.” Take a look at those results. You will likely be shocked by what you read.
12. Consider buying a new home security system. The best systems out there not only give you a full alarm package, but also offer cameras, police monitoring, and a video feed, that allows you to view what’s happening in your home when you are not there. This way, you can easily watch the cameras from your mobile phone or tablet.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen. See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video.