Home Burglary Deterrants

The following list of burglary deterrents, which is aimed at protecting your residence, was compiled from the Oxnard Police Department’s Safer and Stronger crime prevention campaign. We take a look at these deterrents and provide explanation in attempting to reduce your risk of being burglarized. While crime will never completely be eliminated, these suggestions when executed properly and consistently will help to reduce the likelihood of you being a victim of crime. Consider the following in helping to make you and your neighbors safer. 

Common burglary deterrents include anywhere where people or vehicles congregate, including Housing Complexes, Neighborhood Streets, Parking Lots, and Residences.

Criminals usually do their homework when selecting a target to burglarize. They look for targets that yield a high pay out while also yielding a low risk of getting caught. They do not want to be interrupted, want to get in and out of the area quickly, do not want to be seen, and do not want to be recognized. What are some of the things you can do to reduce this criteria? 

Lighting 

• Lighting is important to consider and when done properly increases the chance the burglar will be seen and recognized.

• Make sure your street signs are lit. Contact the city to fix broken or burnt out street lights. Most street lights have a serial number on a metal plate that is attached to the street lamp. Give this number along with the location when reporting an inoperable street light.

• Keep lights on over your doorways at night, or use motion activated lights. Doorways are common access points and you want them to be illuminated.

• If possible, park in well lit areas to help prevent your vehicle from being a target. Make sure your vehicle is locked, windows rolled up, and all valuables are out of sight or stored in the house when not driving.

• Use lights with timers when you are on vacation to give the illusion you are still at home.

Securing your home 

• Your home can become a target if it is not secured or maintained properly. Attention paid in this area can prevent a burglar from getting in and out quickly.

• Trim bushes and trees around your house. Burglars have been known to conceal themselves in bushes and assault homeowners to gain entry to the residence. Keep bushes trimmed low to prevent concealment. Bushes and trees that block windows are also potential access points. A lot of residents use bushes and trees as screens, but be aware that this can create a screen for a burglar.

• Plant bushes that are prickly or have thorns. If you do have bushes and trees around your residence, use them to your advantage. Planting shrubbery with thorns and prickly points is a good defense.

• Close and lock doors and windows. Summer nights can be hot, and people want to open their windows to let in cool evening and night air. Be aware that this can create an easy access point. If possible, use fans and air conditioning, and close all doors and windows before going to bed for the evening, or when you are away from the residence.

• Use rods and bars on window tracks. This further reinforces these potential access points.

• Secure your doors with deadbolts. This additional lock helps reinforce your door.

• Use strike plates with long screws on your doors. This along with deadbolts helps reduce the possibility your door can get kicked in.

• Use curtains or blinds so people cannot see inside your residence. If burglars can see inside your residence, they can get an idea of your routines, what you have in the house, how many people live there, etc. Do not give this information away.

• Use an alarm system. Alarm systems go a long ways towards deterring burglary. Many alarm systems also have quick options you can use to notify authorities in an emergency. Make sure your system is on when you are away, and when you are in for the night.

• Keep garage doors closed to prevent theft. Garage doors are common access points. Keep them closed when you are not in the garage to prevent items from being stolen, and to eliminate the garage from being used as an access point into the residence.

Miscellaneous home defense 

• Beware of dog signs are a great home defense option. You do not have to have a dog to post one. You can also leave out a dog dish or toy to make it look like a dog lives there. This presents a risk to the burglar when selecting a target.

• Keep jewelry and cash in a safe. If a burglar does gain entry into the residence, keep your valuables secure by using a safe or a lockbox. If your items are difficult to obtain, this will affect the getting in and out quickly criteria burglars look for.

• Keep lists, serial numbers, values, and picture logs of your valuables. This list should be secured in a safe or deposit box. If you are burglarized, a specific description of your valuables can help the police to locate and return your property. Your insurance company can also help with the creation of this list.

• If you are on vacation, have neighbors pick up newspapers so they do not build up. Contact the Post Office to hold your mail in the station until you return from vacation.

• Do not leave unsecured keys outside your house for emergency entry. Burglars know where to look and can just as easily as you get the key from under the mat to unlock the house. Different options such as lock boxes are available to secure keys. Do not use a predictable combo such as your address or 1-2-3-4. Choose something unique.

• Keep your equipment and valuables locked up inside. Do not leave things such as work tools, mowers, bicycles and play equipment outside unattended.

• Keep firearms secure. If you have firearms in the residence, keep them locked in gun safes, or safe with trigger / cable locks. Trigger and cable locks are available at police stations.

• Get a security assessment. Police are there to protect and serve. Contact them to come by your residence to conduct a security assessment and give advice on how to better secure your property and reduce the factors leading to burglary.

Exercise caution in the event a burglary is found. If you return home and find signs of forced entry, an open window or door that was not left open, flashlights moving around inside, etc. back away from the residence and call the police. In a burglary situation be aware there could be multiple people involved including lookouts, and people waiting in vehicles. Do not go near the residence.

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This post was written by safetyfadmin