Guard against Burglary

How does a burglar know that the members of a house have gone out?

I have listed few things you should keep in mind while you are going out for a short while or a vacation.




1 .While going out for an evening, leave some lights on... It shows the house is occupied... Leaving just one room with lights doesn’t help... If you could also leave the radio or the television on, it would surely doubt the burglar...

2. If you are leaving for a vacation, have the mail or other deliveries like magazine, milk held or suspended for a while.

3. Get your phone disconnected so that on the spot telephone check to find out if you are at home, can’t be made. Never give information to anonymous people who say that they are calling from insurance companies, banks for a meeting or you won a lottery and when you will be able to collect the prize, give only if you are sure or you might be giving your “when-you-will-be-at-home” information to the wrong person.

4. Inform the neighbors when you are going out so that they can keep an eye on your property. In case, you got an emergency and you had to leave your kids alone, ask the neighbor to keep an eye and do instruct your kids not to answer the doors when strangers knock (As burglars are like shape shifters – may act as a carpenter, electrician, plumper).

5. Don’t leave the house keys under the door/welcome mat or flower pot as they are the common areas of search.

6. If the members of the house are returning at different times, don’t leave the keys (Refer 5), its better to make extra keys or give your house key to your neighbor.

7. Ask your servant to clean up your courtyard daily and pick up the flyers as untidy courtyard shows that the members are out.

8. Draw the drapes/curtains of the house, if the inside of the house is visible to the outsiders and do not place any of your valuable items near the window.

9. Ask your neighbor or servant to turn off the lighted entrance in the morning and turn it on during the evening, if the lights are left on in the morning and off at night, it shows there is no one in the house or you could set a timer that would turn on or off the lights (Use low voltage lights as you can save electricity).

10. If your area is free from shoe thieves, you could leave some of your cheap slippers outside, it shows the people are in the house.

11. Never leave a note on door explaining why you are not at home.

12. Never leave any tools or ladder outside the house as it would help the burglar to break in.

Start a neighborhood watch, get a security or install a burglary alarm if the burglary rate is high. The points above are some of the things you should keep in mind. If you got a tip, do share. Have a nice day!