Sunday, March 11, 2007

Get a Dog & Other Tips for Making Your Home Unattractive to Criminals

Reduce the curb-side appeal of your home and make it less of a magnet for burglars. That's one of several tips that I received via email from my neighborhood association. The tips were offered by the local police, who interviewed a thief. I featured the suggestions in a recent post.

Bottom Line: A home that is unattractive or unappealing to a robber is important because thieves prefer easy targets.

"Once a burglar has selected a home to burglarize, most will spend no more than a minute trying to break in and less than five minutes inside. " --Kevin Coffey, Author- Active Police Detective - Professional Speaker/President/CEO of Corporate Travel Safety


But in a recent comment, Dawn of Frugal for Life asked: How do you make your home unattractive?

Here are a few answers that I've rounded up.

1. Get a Dog....That's the advice my sister-in-law received from the police after her neighborhood was struck by a series of thefts. The officer told her that a barking dog is actually more protective than an alarm system.

2. Lock all ground-floor doors and windows. Most of the thieves in my neighborhood have entered through unlocked windows and doors.

3. Get an alarm system and post visible stickers announcing the installation of an alarm.

4. Trim or cut back your hedges: A friend of mine loved the look of a lawn lined with tall hedges, but worried that criminals could hide in the bushes. Such fears are justified, according to safety experts.

"Make sure all shrubs and trees are trimmed back so they do not allow a burglar to conceal himself while attempting to open a window or door. If possible, plant bushes with prickly thorns around these locations. They are a cheap deterrent."
--Kevin Coffey, Author- Active Police Detective - Professional Speaker President/CEO of Corporate Travel Safety


Here is an excellent list of tips.
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