5 Ways to Keep Thieves Out of Your Garage
One of the common entry points for burglars is the garage. They see it as the weakest and most accessible part of your home. And quite frankly, their success rate justifies this. You, however, do not have to prove them right. These are eight safety tips to help you beat a burglar in his own game.
Illuminate the House
Burglars like the protection of darkness and many of them rely on your garage's dark shadows to hide and attempts to get into your home. Setting up motion-activated headlights near garage doors and windows will make burglars think twice about a break-in at night.
Close the door
This may be a no-brainer, but many people are guilty of this. There are usually a couple of wide-open garage doors without the homeowner in sight. This is an invitation to burglars. To avoid this oversight install an automatic garage door closer or a garage door sensor. This sensor alerts you when your tailgate is open, and automatically closes the garage after a specified time. An automatic garage door lock that automatically locks your garage door each time it is closed is also an excellent idea.
Protect your service door
Burglars love a good side entrance where they can break-in and enter before the neighbours’ prying eyes. Most garage side doors have the standard locks that can be easily broken with a solid kick, but a few simple upgrades can keep a burglar away. Tighten the security of your outer door with a bolt. Also remember that the weakest point of your door is the striking plate, where the lock meets the door. Replace this with a reinforced one and secure it with at least 3-inch screws.
Hide your things
Not all thieves steal blindly. Most look at your home for clues during the day. An exposed window with high-quality garage items on display can be the motivation that a burglar needs to break in your house. Simple Interior curtains or blinds work well, but if you want to let light in, a self-adhesive window covering material will do the trick.
Check your landscaping
As noted above brazen burglars may snoop around your house in broad daylight, yet they still make use of the cover that a well-placed shrub or tree close to your garage.
Ensure neighbours and passers-by can see everything near your garage by removing large trees and shrubs and keeping the entry points. Plant small prickly shrubs under garage windows can discourage a burglar from breaking in this way.
Take Away
The key to avoiding burglary is being alert and proactive. Anticipate ways a burglar may try to access your home and block it. That way you make it difficult for the burglar and he becomes disinterested in breaking in and seeks a more susceptible house.