It takes less than 10 minutes for a burglar to rob you. Chances are, you won’t catch them in the act. And since police only solve about 13% of break-ins, you probably won’t catch them later on either. That means your best option is to prevent the burglary from every happening.

Of the 2.5 million burglaries that happen in a year, 66% are home break-ins. The majority of these happen during the day. Don’t let yourself be one of the victims!

Here are some simple steps to take that will greatly reduce your chances of a burglar entering your house.

Lock Your Doors and Windows

Upwards of 30% of break-ins happen through a door or window that was left open. These are break-ins that could have been avoided simply by taking 2 seconds to turn a lock. We know, it can be easy to accidently leave a window open or forget to lock the door when you’re running late to get somewhere.

But remembering to do this can be the difference between being robbed and not being robbed.

The best way to always remember to lock things up is to create a sort of house-exiting routine. Force yourself to do it enough, and eventually, it will become a natural habit.

Security System

Did you know that homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be robbed? Home security systems actually serve the purpose of preventing break-ins more than simply notifying you when a break-in has happened.

Having the signs and stickers of your security system around your house does wonders for deterring burglars. While you can purchase fake stickers and signs online, these are from generic, made-up companies.

Burglars are often smart enough to know whether or not a sign is from a real company. In other words, the fake signage might not help you at all.

Motion Activated External Lights

If you’re either not ready to spring for a security system, or you want to make sure would-be burglars can see your security signage in the dark, motion-activated lights are a great addition to your home. The sudden light not only startles the burglar, but it lets the people inside know that someone is moving around out there.

Timers for Lights and TV

Not going to be home for a while? By a setting a timer on some lights and possibly a TV, you can appear to be. This has never been easier thanks to smart technology. If you have lights attached to Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa, simply set a recurring time for lights to turn on and off.

Or you can control things manually from a distance with an app.

Either way, making it appear like someone is home will always help deter burglars.

Keep Your Blinds Closed

Burglars are typically scoping out houses before they rob them. They want to know the schedule of the owners, as well as whether or not there’s anything inside worth taking. The best way for them to see is through the windows at night.

As the sun sets, it’s a good idea to close your blinds.

Make Sure You Have Strong, Secure Doors

About 70% of home invasions require forceful entry, such as breaking down a door. With it taking just minutes to rob a house, a robber can kick in a door, grab a few items, and be off before anyone knows what happened. A solid, secure door keep help keep that from happening.

If you’re looking to improve the entry points of your home, contact Springfield Overhead Door. We offer a wide selection of entry doors in Ohio, including extra durable fiberglass and steel doors. Keep your home safe. Upgrade your doors today.