The economy has been suffering for quite some time now and shows very little signs of improving soon. Unemployment has been on the rise and so have been prices. The result is that there has been a significant increase in the number of petty crimes (burglaries & thefts). While they are called petty crimes, the loss of $1500 electronic equipment is by no means ‘petty’. And while you can rely on law enforcement agencies, there is a lot more that you can do yourself. After all, you are the best person to protect your home. 

And keeping the economy and the budget crunches that you may have planned in mind, here are the 5 best ways to enhance your home security and prevent being burgled without spending more than $30 out of your pocket. 

1. Start an awareness program: Does each and every person in your home know how to operate, arm & disarm a home security system? If no is the answer then this is the time to teach them how to do it. Surprisingly enough, a major percentage of burglaries occur because the occupants of the house failed to arm their alarm system. Teach everyone, including kids.
2. Signboards and decals: Cheap and reliable, security signboards and decals are one of the best and most trusted ways to prevent a crime. In fact, you can very well start a neighborhood program and encourage your neighbors to put up these signboards as well. It wont cost you more than $20 to get a high quality illuminated signboard.
3. The Hustlers: A lot of criminals now use smooth talking techniques to enter your home as a guest rather than trying to break into it. They can come disguised as well dressed salesmen or even as an electrician. It helps to be well prepared especially when you are not at home. So train your kids to not open the door to any stranger when they are alone at home. The last thing that you need is a criminal waltzing in through your front door without any security system stopping him. And once again, I emphasize on point one mentioned above.
4. Protect the outside along with the inside: A lot of burglars now prefer to loot the garage or the storage shed rather than risk being caught inside the house. So, if you have neglected the protection for your garage, then please rethink your strategy and protect the outside of the home along with the inside. 
5. Adopt a pet: Apart from giving you endless hours of enjoyment and unconditional love, dogs can also protect your home. The mere presence of a dog can send shivers down the spine of any burglar. And no, we are not talking about some of the expensive breeds here. Even a normal barking dog is enough.  

See? It’s something that each one of you can do without having to spend too much money. Beat the recession and secure your home today.

Burglars look for new targets each time. A team of burglars usually has a couple of members who act as scouts and conduct a recee of potential soft targets in new neighborhoods. On the other hand, a neighborhood that doesn’t have a record of burglaries can very well be complacent in terms of its security. Do you live in such a neighborhood? Have you flinched while reading burglary news in the newspapers and considered yourself to be fortunate to be living in such a safe neighborhood? Then you can very well make one of the five gravest mistakes that home owners make.

1. A security system switched off: How many times have you forgotten to activate that alarm system? Maybe you didn’t want to go through all the trouble of activating the alarm system and the CCTV camera as you were going for a quick trip to the supermarket and would be away for only a few minutes. Now that’s one of the most common mistakes that homeowners make. If you have a security system in place then use it. It doesn’t matter whether you are going for a few minutes or a few days. Do not leave any loopholes.
2. The Garage - A weak link: An unlocked garage is one of the easiest entry points into the home. If you have an attached garage and you leave it unlocked, then that’s a red carpet invitation for burglars. Integrate the garage into your security alarm system if you still haven’t done it. It’s easy and requires minimum work. On the other hand, if you have a separate garage and you still leave it unlocked, then you are providing burglars with a bag full of tools that he can use to pry open the doors, drill holes into the doors and remove lock covers. The moral of the story is that the garage can often be the weak link in the security system. Always lock it to prevent any unpleasant surprises.
3. The hidden key: It amazes me that people still hide a key outside the home fearing that they might be locked out sometime. Burglars are well aware of this prehistoric tactic and a hidden key is the first thing that they look for when trying to break into a home. I would personally recommend that you do not hide it anywhere outside and hand the keys to a trustworthy neighbor instead. And if you’d rather hide it, then be creative. Do not hide it anywhere close to the door or in common places that have been popularized in a million movies.
4. Not including your neighbors: You might have the most advanced security system in place but a smart and alert neighbor can be worth more than all of this. If you are not very friendly with your neighbors then this is the time to change that. It can be a grave mistake to not include your neighbors in your security set up. You can even start a neighborhood watch program. If you are going to be away for a few days, then your neighbor is your best protection.
5. If you have it, flaunt it: Prevention is better than cure. It is an old saying that speaks volumes for its effectiveness. A lot of people have high end security systems but no signs or warnings anywhere near the home. Would you want a robber to break-in in the middle of the night and disturb your sleep when the alarm is triggered? Would you rather not prevent it? If you have the security setup, then display it. Put up signs and decals that warn any intruder about the security systems in your home. And you can use stand alone signs, decals and fake security cameras even if you do not have actual security systems.
6. Procrastination: If there is a broken lock or a window that needs repairing, then get it replaced as soon as you can. Do not wait for a calamity to happen before realization dawns on you. Do not put off the job for another day. You never know when it’s your bad day.

Avoid doing one of these 6 grave mistakes and always stay alert. You will be able to protect your home, family and your hard earned money from burglars and thieves.

Is it easy to think like a criminal? No, it isn’t. Most of them are lunatics or people with serious psychological complications. It is near impossible to find any logic in their actions. But, if you can come even remotely close to thinking like one, then chances are that you will be able to do a much better job at protecting your home, family and assets than most. Let’s not try to think like the most dangerous people you might have seen on ‘America’s most wanted’. Try and think like the ordinary burglar walking down the street instead. What will he think when he looks at your home? Does it give the impression of a sitting duck? Which are the potential entry and exit points that he might use? How easy is it to enter the home? Get the gist? So are you all set to turn into a burglar to prevent being burgled by one?

Conduct a recee: A recee stands for reconnaissance. It’s like a survey. Get a notebook and a pen and take a walk down the street. Now closely examine your home from the street.

• Is there shrubbery growing in front of the home? For you it might be a wonderful aesthetic addition. But for a burglar, it is an ideal place to sneak into before making a break-in. Jot it down in the notebook. That’s a place that you have to think about.
• Make a note of all the windows that do not have any security locks. These are easy entry points for a burglar. Glass doors are other easy entry points. A glass break detector was an ideal solution to stop such break-ins. But nowadays, no criminal will break the glass. There are glass cutters available for less than $10 and it makes the job even easier.
• If you haven’t put up security signs and decals then this is the best time to do it. Look for ideal locations for the signs and decals. They should be easily visible from the street. Now walk a little closer to your home. Stand near the driveway.
• You can identify spots that can be used to install outdoor lighting for your home. Outdoor lighting is an intrinsic part of security. For this one time, do not think about the savings that you are making on your energy bills.
• Is the garage door locked at all times? Does it have an electronic alarm door? If yes, then it’s probably safe. If no, then does it have tools in it? These are additional tools for the burglar which he can very well use to pry your door open.

Solutions

Now that you have successfully conducted the recee, it’s time to act on the information.

• Just because there hasn’t been a case of burglary in your neighborhood for a long time doesn’t mean that your house cannot be targeted. In fact, such neighborhoods are ideal places for new burglaries because the security system is usually lax.
• Do you support the NRA? Show it. For a burglar it means that there are good chances of being shot at. And no burglar would want that.
• Ensure that you also cover the backside of the home. Several homeowners have been found guilty of completely avoiding the backside of the home and burglars make an easy entry.
• The trick is to create an impression that the home is hard target and not an easy one. And this impression can make a huge difference to the reputation of your home in the neighborhood.

Be smart and be innovative. It won’t take a lot of time or involve a lot of work. But the results can be rewarding.