It’s a good time of year to be a criminal. With temperatures warming up and more people out of their homes for spring break vacation, law enforcement sees an increase in home break-ins starting in March every year.
According to FBI statistics, three burglaries happen every minute in America – and those are just the ones reported to law enforcement officials. Burglaries of residential properties account for 73.2 percent of all offenses, with an average loss of $2,251 per break-in.
That doesn’t mean you should stay home, guarding your property, at all times, but it does mean you may need to take steps to secure your residence before you leave for an extended period of time.
Here are a few tips to secure your home while on vacation:
- Install a comprehensive security system. Installing a professional home security system is, by far, the best way to guard your property while you’re away. Just seeing the system sticker or sign is enough to send would-be criminals elsewhere. Window and door sensors automatically alert authorities in your absence. Residential cameras provide even greater security. Monitor your home with high-definition infrared cameras that record quality video of any activity taking place on your property. A wireless surveillance system allows you to monitor the video feed from your cellphone or any computer with an internet connection.
- Secure windows. This may seem obvious, but experts say 23 percent of break-ins occur through first-floor windows. If you don’t have a security system, make sure you at least have locks installed. Window pin locks that are strong and visible to thieves provide excellent deterrents. Certain products can even cover a window and resist blows of up to 400-foot pounding, thereby enhancing the security capability of your glass entries.
- Secure doors. A third of all break-ins happen right at the front door. For doors, deadbolts are the most secure type of residential lock. Consumer Reports recommends a single cylinder, 1-inch-dead bolt with a reinforced-metal box strike. Their picks ranged from the Kwikset 980, a standard $30 lock that resists all but drilling, to the high-security Medeco Maxum 11*603, which costs $190 but resists all picking, prying, hammering, kicking and drilling.
- Combine technology with increased vigilance. Take advantage of the latest smartphone apps and websites that will alert you if there is a rash of home or vehicle break-ins in your neighborhood, so at least you’ll know to be more watchful. Consider letting local authorities know you’ll be away. Sometimes the police will drive by your house on routine patrols to make sure all is quiet. Police presence in a neighborhood can be a good deterrent to crime. Starting or participating in a Neighborhood Watch program is another method of surveillance many homeowners use.
Looking for increased security in Maryland or Virginia? Maryland Security Professionals advises homeowners about the latest technology to prevent home burglaries. We also install, monitor and maintain commercial surveillance equipment to ensure the protection of your property as well as your family.
Contact us today at 410-514-8035 for a free consultation and estimate