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What You Do Might Be an Invitation for Thieves and Robbers

Burglars don't just target visible houses. They look for any sign of opportunity, and if you leave your garage door open or unlocked, a window that's too easy to break, or a mailbox with the keyhole exposed, they'll take advantage. Thankfully, avoiding these pitfalls takes very little time and can help keep your home safer. Here are some things you're probably doing around your house that are invitations to thieves and robbers.

The front door is easily accessible to burglars

The front door of your home is the first thing burglars see when they walk by your home. It's the first thing they try to get into if they see that it's not locked. It's also the last thing a robber will see when they leave with your belongings.

If your front door is easily accessible to burglars, you could lose almost everything you own. To prevent this

  • Ensure you always lock your front door
  • Installing sliding barn doors with locks may also help ease the risk
  • Use both a deadbolt and a doorknob lock if possible
  • Install a doorbell with a camera so you can see who is at your door without having to look through a peephole

Your garage door is left unlocked

An open garage door is one of the most common signs of an unsecured home. If someone can walk into your garage, they can break into your house. While it's common to walk out of your house, come home, and find your garage door open, this likely is because you forgot to close it when you left, not because you're doing a security check.

Garage doors are usually the easiest door in the house to open. If a criminal is casing your neighborhood, they will notice if your garage door is left open. If you leave your garage door open when you're not at home, make sure you lock your car in the garage. Criminals will break into your garage and steal your car.

Windows are left uncovered and easy to break

Windows are a way for burglars to see your inside, and that's what they look for when targeting a house. A dense bush or plant on the side of the house is also a way for a burglar to see what's going on inside. If you're going to leave your windows uncovered, make sure you close the blinds.

If you don't have any blinds yet, get some. Extremely cheap and easy to install, blinds are an excellent way to keep the light out without looking like you're trying to hide something. When you leave your windows uncovered and easy to break, you're inviting burglars to break into your home.

The mailbox has the keyhole exposed

Having a keyhole in your mailbox is convenient but can be a sign of an underlying issue. A mailbox with a keyhole is an invitation to a robber. When a robber walks by your mailbox, they can open it, grab the mail, and close it again, leaving no trace. You might consider getting a locked mailbox if your mailbox has a keyhole. Alternatively, lock the mailbox with a small padlock, making it harder to access the keyhole. 

Exterior lighting is inadequate or non-existent

When you leave your house dark at night, it's like having an invitation to a robber. But it doesn't have to be that way. When burglars are casing your neighborhood, they look for houses with no exterior lighting. If they see your house is lit up, they'll skip it and go to the next one. If you have a dark corner of your yard with no lights, a robber can use that to their advantage.

Valuables in your yard for thieves to see

If you have valuable items in your yard for thieves to see, and you're not using them, you could be inviting a thief to take them. If you have a trampoline in your backyard, a barbecue grill, or a basketball hoop, these are all signs that you're not using them. These can also be indications to a robber that you have a lot of kids and a lot of money in your house.

If you want to keep your valuables out of sight, consider putting them in a shed or a garage. If you want to keep them out of sight because you don't want them, maybe you don't have to keep them. Some services will come and take away your unwanted items.

Burglaries are common. They can happen anywhere, regardless of where you live. By examining your home and making some simple, low-cost improvements, you can significantly reduce your chances of becoming a victim. Remember, it doesn't take much to improve your home's security.