Since the start of the year, we’ve seen home break-ins pile up.
Just last month, the Novi Police Department noted that they had a string of nine home break-ins since the beginning of the year. With temperatures rising, more people are opting to keep their windows open and thieves could be more tempted to make a move on your property.
According to security experts, most home break-ins happen between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. While most people think about properly lighting their homes, the reality is that your home is most at-risk of being broken into during broad daylight.
“It may sound trite, but lock your doors and check your windows,” said Ron Ross, President of Vigilante Security, Inc. “If you don’t know there is a potential there that you’re asking for trouble.”
Ross noted that a lot has changed in his business over the years. Gone are the days of telephone lines being hard-wired into security systems, but the priorities remain the same: securing doors, setting up motion detectors in high-traffic areas, and securing windows when necessary.
What is visibly different is the system you’ll find inside homes. Most systems being used now are entirely wireless and can be setup to work with a key fob or cell phone. Ross showed his hottest system that most people are buying, and how it can be setup to dim lights or even turn them on/off on timers. If that’s not impressive enough, some systems can even unlock doors with the push of a button. Truly, the systems of today are more involved then ever before.
“Security is a state of mind,” said Ross. “The level of security that we provide ultimately determines what the customer is looking for.”
The insurance company Nationwide states that homes with security systems are two, or three, times less likely to be burglarized. That said, they offer a number of non-tech tips that can help you avoid becoming a victim:
- Change the home’s entry device access code periodically to prevent wear, the combination of numbers and letters could be visible, providing criminals with information that can be used to gain access to your home.
- Keep garage doors closed and locked. If the garage doors have windows, put the garage door release cord away from those windows.
- Close curtains or blinds to prevent thieves from taking inventory of your personal belongings and seeing the home's layout.
- Block windows for the basement or locked window well covers – Use these to keep thieves from seeing or entering your basement.
- Strong exterior doors – Solid wood or metal provides stronger protection against break-ins.
