The home is dark, the drapes pulled. Newspapers are piled on the front porch and the yard is noticeably unkept. There isn't a single footprint in the snow or tire track on the driveway. It's obvious nobody's home and everybody knows it – including the "bad guys."
This home is ready for a break-in.
So what were these homeowners thinking? How could they leave their home so vulnerable?
This has to be a case of either denial or neglect: either believing that a break-in could never happen or being in too much of a hurry to worry about it. I don't understand what goes through the mind of a homeowner who leaves his home in an unsecured state, but I can tell you that if a break-in occurs while this homeowner is away, the consequences will be devastating to the whole family.
One of the worst effects is a sense of violation, a feeling that could conceivably last for months if not years. I've often been told by victims of home break-ins that this is the hardest part to deal with – the knowledge that some stranger has been through your personal belongings. This emotional turmoil often leads to a change in location where the homeowner can regain his or her sense of trust and security.
So let's be proactive and talk about inexpensive ways to make your home appear more secure while away. Employing what’s called "illusion security" is a great starting point – these are simple ways to ward off a burglary through trickery.
Most of us know about the effectiveness of light timers, which regulate the times your lights turn on and off. And it's only common sense to arrange for a neighbour or friend to pick up your mail, cut your lawn or shovel the snow while you're away.
But let's look at a few methods you may or may not have thought of. If you don't own an alarm system but know of somebody who does and has extra alarm stickers, why not use them on your home? Place these stickers near your entry doors and most vulnerable windows. Remember: burglars will choose the path of least resistance and they don't want to deal with a noisy alarm system.
Stay away from fake cameras. Most experienced burglars know the difference. Instead, install a couple of decoy bell boxes. These are the enclosures that house external horns for home alarm systems. They are identical in appearance to the real deal. Burglars don't like to see these types of boxes on the outside of your home and usually aren't willing to take a chance on setting them off.
Here’s another tip, and this works well anytime for someone who lives alone: take a trip to the nearest thrift store and buy a pair of men's size14 boots. Run them through the muck and drop them on your front doorstep. A thief will not chance entering a home with a large pair of men's boots parked outside the door.
Another inexpensive way of warding off criminal activity around your home is to invest in a "Beware of Dog" sign and post it on the entrance to your property. If you want to spruce up the illusion, add a dog bowl and dog chain to the front and back porches.
Or how about taking it a step further and simulating a barking dog? This multifunctional Barking Dog Alarm system uses an electronic radar-wave sensor that can “see” motion through wood, cement, brick and glass. From the outside it sounds like you have a large dog in your home.
A fake television is a wonderful crime deterrent. This is a small unit that recreates the light of a real TV. These fakes have super-bright LEDs that fill a room with light in thousands of possible shades of color. This fakery simulates scene changes, fade swells and on-screen motion. From the outside it looks as though someone is home watching TV.
Don't let a sunny outlook or a busy schedule interfere with your home security. Invest a small amount of time and money in your largest investment – it only makes sense!
Frank Fourchalk is a security expert with 20 years in the business. Visit his website at yourhomesecurity.ca.
