Always lock all windows and doors

This is the first practical tactic that highly increases the security of your home or business. Whether or not your doors and windows or locked can determine if a burglar gets into your space or not. Even if this seems like an implicit fact that everyone understands, you’d honestly be surprised at exactly how many people don’t do this when they leave your house. It’s important to meditate for a second before leaving on whether you have locked your doors or windows, just to make sure.

Use Double Deadbolt Locks

It’s absolutely necessary to use quality, strong, durable locks in your front door – which turns out to be a fairly common point of entry for burglars. By making sure your doors are securely locked, you afford yourself the peace of mind of knowing your home or business is safe.

Keep Travel Schedules Discreet

You don’t want to broadcast the fact that you’re not going to be at home. Oversharing on social media about the details of your work or vacation schedule gives potential burglars the chance to know when you’re out of the house. Make sure to be somewhat private with this information – including not discussing your home location in crowded public areas around lots of strangers.

Conceal all valuable items

You want to make sure valuable or expensive items such as TVs, expensive electronic equipment, art, jewelry, or silver isn’t easily visible to passersby through a window. This can be as simple as shutting curtains or blinds – or moving valuables to a wall that isn’t easily visible from the street. It also never hurts to lock certain valuables that you’ll only need once in awhile – like jewelry – inside a safe.

Make sure sliding glass doors securely lock

Burglars are loathe to literally break into houses through windows even if they believe nobody is home because the conspicuous sound of breaking glass is a telltale signal of a burglary in progress. Glass doors are usually not a point of entry for burglars, but it’s incredibly important to ensure that you don’t leave these sliding patio entrances open a crack or unlocked when you leave your home. Make sure the lock is secure and doesn’t open with a little jiggling.

Get a Dog

Most dogs will be incredibly protective of their human companions – you don’t have to get a trained guard dog, because most canines will start barking loudly when they sense unfamiliar or strange entry into a home. This stranger sensing system is likely linked to dog’s strong sense of smell and ability to quickly weed out a stranger standing outside a home to the human they are familiar with.