12 Ways to Prevent Crime at Home

Criminals admit that they look for opportunities to commit crime. These opportunities are often due to negligence and a lack of foresight by those concerned. There are some simple things that people can do to protect themselves. A few minutes of effort and some wise planning can prevent many crimes from taking place.

Tips for Securing Homes against Criminal Activity

Regularly check all window latches and door locks. If moving into a different home, change the locks on all the external doors.

Keep garages and sheds locked. Power tools and garden implements are often used to break into homes and have been used as weapons as well.

When going on vacation, arrange for neighbours to collect the mail, feed pets and open and close curtains. Offer them the use of the driveway to park an extra car. Garden service companies can be hired to keep the garden in shape and use a timer to switch on lights and television at night. The objective is to make the home look lived in.

An alarm system, monitored or unmonitored is a deterrent to thieves. Just the noise is enough to make them lose concentration and abandon what they are doing.

Tips for Keeping Property Safe from Thieves

Never keep large quantities of cash in a home even if it is in a safe. It is much wiser to keep it in a bank.

Keep items such as laptops, cameras and iPods in a cupboard or drawers where they will not be seen by a thief looking through a window.

Mark property so that it is easily identifiable if stolen and then recovered. This can be done by etching identification on to it. Some insurance companies provide a number or use a driver's license number.

Personal Safety and Criminals

Elderly folk and those that are disabled are safer in pairs or groups. Try and find a shopping or walking companion and don't venture out in bad weather or after dark.

Vary activities and routes and try to be unpredictable. Criminals often watch a home for several months and prefer to target people with set routines.

Don't dress children in T-shirts with their names on. If addressed by name by a stranger, they will often assume the person knows them and will trust them.

Many areas have "safe houses" where children can run to if in trouble. Locate these and make sure that every family member knows exactly where they are.

If a window or door is broken or something looks amiss when arriving home, don't enter the house. Leave the property and call the police. If the criminals are still in the house, they may attack if they feel cornered.

Crime prevention is an individual and a community action. Involving neighbours and friends and taking some simple precautions can make life a lot safer and a home less likely to be targeted by criminals.

Recommended reading: The Neighbourhood Crime Prevention HandBook by Pat Daley, Griffin Press, 1991, ISBN 0-646-07653-1.