12 Oct Don’t Tempt Thieves

Why would a thief target your house? While some burglaries are random, many criminals watch their chosen mark for several days before breaking in. To reduce the chance of finding yourself in a crook’s crosshairs, keep the following tips in mind.

•    Do not leave packaging of expensive items on the curbs for the trash collectors – the boxes of flat screens, laptops, and the like should be broken down and stuffed into trash bags before hitting the sidewalk. Better yet, take the packages to the dump yourself immediately after removing the contents.

•    Thieves also look for individuals who regularly take risks. What actions should you avoid? You should never leave your home without closing and locking the doors, even if you will only be gone a few minutes. The same goes for garage doors, sliding glass doors, and windows. No matter how safe you think your neighborhood is, remember prying eyes are always watching.

•    You should avoid obvious routines as well. Watching your house for a few days should not give crooks the perfect window to rob you. Even if you work a regular schedule, you can still mix it up once a while, like coming home a day or two each week for lunch. The harder it is to pin down a concrete schedule, the more likely a thief is to move to the next target.

There is no way to prevent thefts 100 percent of the time. You may eventually experience a break-in. To help avoid financial burden after such an event, make sure your home and belongings are covered by a home insurance policy.

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