- Always lock your doors and windows before leaving the house, even if you live in a "safe" small town. Burglaries can happen anywhere. Never leave a spare key outside. This includes magnetic boxes that hook on the underside of your car, fake rocks or any other contraptions designed to hide keys. Professional burglars will look for these. Instead leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor or friend. Padlock any outdoor fuse boxes or power sources that a burglar could use to cut off your power and disable your alarm system.
Consider purchasing a home alarm system. Make sure it's a comprehensive system that will cover all possible entrances. Install motion-detector sensors in various rooms of your house. Even if the burglar makes it through the entrance, the motion detector will still catch him. - Make your home look occupied while you are away on vacation. Ask a trusted friend or neighbor to house-sit while you're away. This includes parking in your driveway, bringing in your mail and newspapers, maintaining the lawn (for a longer vacation) and keeping an eye out for problems such as burst pipes. If no neighbor is available, arrange to have your mail and newspaper stopped for the duration of your vacation, leave your own car in the driveway, put lights and appliances like TV or radio on timers and arrange to have your lawn maintained (for longer vacations).
- Practice smart residential security practices by preparing for every emergency, as burglars are far from the only threat to your home. Keep a functioning fire extinguisher in your home, frequently check the batteries on your smoke detectors and establish a fire evacuation plan with your family for improved fire safety. Design a "safe haven" room stocked with emergency supplies, food and water and a telephone to prepare for natural disasters. Keep a two-way radio handy in the event phone lines go down or your mobile phone batteries die.
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