Innocent mistakes or overlooked phenomenon can make your home an easy target for burglary – and unfortunately, all it takes is one single mistake for your home to be ransacked. However, the good news is that it’s not too difficult for regular people to get the hang of all the essential home security tactics; in this blog post, the expert residential locksmiths at DKNY Locksmith will review some of the most common mistakes that homeowners make that can potentially jeopardize the security of their homestead.
Lack of (or Underutilized) Deadbolt Locks
The most successful burglars can enter and exit homes quickly – meaning that the more security measures in place that can slow down a burglar, the safer your home will be. Burglars don’t usually target homes with deadbolt locks because they take a long time to break into. It’s a MUST to have high quality deadbolt locks on your exterior doors – and to always make sure to lock your doors, even if you’re coming in and out of the house for brief periods of time during the day.
Lack of Window Security Implementation
If a burglar can’t enter a door on the ground floor, they will turn to first story windows. While we understand you might want to keep your windows open sometimes, make sure that your ground floor windows are closed tightly at night, as well as when you are out of the house during the day – even if it’s just for a quick errand. Usually windows on higher floors can be left open a crack – but if they can be easily accessed, we recommend closing them at night.
Your Home is Over Obscured
While many people prefer their homes to be hidden from the outside world – with fences, bushes, or trees shielding their property from the street – this type of isolation can actually be a risk factor with residential burglary. We recommend compromising – for example, have a few bushes, but none that cover or obscure a potential access point that could give a burglar cover to hide behind. A professional locksmith / residential security specialist, like those here at DKNY Locksmith can provide some uniquely tailored, expert advice as to the best ways to marry privacy and security for your home.
Luxury Garbage
If you constantly have empty boxes for expensive electronic or luxury items readily displayed outside your home, burglars will see them as an enticement to break into your home to steal from you. Packaging for items can be a temptation for thieves, not to mention an indication to them that your home might be “worth the risk” of breaking into for the potential rewards that can be reaped. Make sure to collapse packaging and boxes, and conceal packaging into a recycling bin that isn’t visible to passersby. It’s important to remember that electronics are the most common items stolen during burglaries after straight cash!