Home Security Tips

 Keep Yard Orderly: The best way to do this is to keep your lawn mowed and the bushes and trees near your house trimmed and away from the windows.  The rationality to keep your lawn mowed is so that a potential burglar doesn't think that the home is vacant.  The reason to keep trees and bushes trimmed is to stave off giving that same potential burglar a place to hide next to your door or outside your windows.

Alert Neighbors When Going on Vacation: The purpose of this tip is also twofold.  First, it allows your neighbors to keep an eye on your property.  If they know you are gone, it is more probable that they will report suspicious activity to the police.  The second purpose is to have them pick up your mail and/or newspapers.  It is an easy sign to burglars that a house is temporarily vacant if there is a large pile of newspapers or mail.

Security System and Sign: This is ultimately the best way to avoid being the victim of burglary.  At the end of the day, most burglaries are crimes of chance.  The culprit is looking for an easy home to rob.  Having a security system, and alerting everyone to that fact with a yard sign, makes you much less likely to become a victim.

Close and Lock Garage Door:  Ask any local police department.  During the spring and summer, one of the favorite entry points for thieves is an open garage door.  If you leave your garage door open, the thief can either attempt to enter your home through a connecting door in the garage, or steal anything of measure in your garage.  

Don't Answer Door If You Don't Feel Comfortable:  The point here is to trust your instincts.  If you don't like the look of the person at the door, don't answer it.  I would, all the same, recommend turning on a light or making them aware that somebody is home.  If it is a burglar, its likely they're trying to see if the home is vacant.  Not answering keeps you safe, and alerting them to your presence prevents them from pursuing any further actions.

Keep the Outside of Your House Well-Lit: The idea here is the same as keeping a security sign in your yard, or trimming bushes and trees located next to your house.  You are attempting to create a scenario that is unfriendly to a burglar attempting to hide.  Having a well-lit porch and front door area, or going a step further and having motion detector lights will minimize your chance of being robbed.

Lock Doors with Deadbolts This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised just how many people don't follow this advice.  A door with a deadbolt is not a guaranteed protection, but its sure much safer than having no deadbolts at all.  Also, be sure to keep doors locked during the day if you are home alone.

Keep Inventory of Your Valuables: This is not so much a home security tip as it is a tip to help recover and/or replace your goods in the event of a robbery.  Too often homeowners have no itemized list of their valuables and have to battle with their insurance companies after the traumatic experience of a robbery.  Avoid this by keeping an up-to-date list now.

These tips are not meant to be exhaustive, but are to give you some primary guidelines to use in helping to protect yourself and your loved ones. 

Resources: 

tempe.gov/cpu/homesec.htm

state.gov/m/ds/rls/rpt/19773.htm