Burglary Prevention: How to Keep Your Home From Being Targeted by a Burglar | By Jordan Frankel

How to Prevent a Burglary and Protect Your Home | By Jordan Frankel
July 20, 2023
Family Security Plan: The Key to Surviving a Home Invasion | By Jordan Frankel
July 20, 2023

Burglary prevention requires an understanding of how burglars select homes to break into. It all comes down to risk versus reward. Risk involves the chance of the burglar getting caught and convicted, while reward refers to the valuables the burglar can steal and sell.

So, what’s the best way to keep burglars from targeting your home? Increase the risk of break-in for the criminal.

When it comes to reward, most homes offer valuables that appeal to burglars, from electronics to cash or even firearms. Because burglars seek these rewards, focusing on burglary prevention by increasing risk is crucial. The average burglar wants a quick, easy entry and exit with minimal risk of capture. By strengthening home security measures, you can make your home an unappealing target.

Layered Home Security for Break-In Prevention

To reduce the likelihood that a burglar will target your home, it’s important to understand the criminal’s perspective.

The average burglar is typically a male between 16 to 21 years of age. Most live near or within the community of homes or apartments they target; others have friends or family that live in the community. Burglars benefit from knowing the layout of a neighborhood, the residents’ routines, and the level of security or law enforcement presence. The more a criminal knows, the more likely he can pull off his crime without getting caught. 

To keep your home from being targeted by such a burglar, implementing visible layers of home security is important. According to home security expert, Jordan Frankel, a residence with highly visible security measures poses a higher risk to criminals, reducing the likelihood of a break-in.

Layered Home Security for Break-In Prevention

Layered security provides the best approach to burglary prevention. By implementing visible security layers, you make your home a higher-risk target for criminals, which encourages them to look elsewhere. Below are essential security layers you can set up to deter intruders.

Security Layer 1: Secure the Outermost Layer

Burglars typically scope out potential targets before deciding to break in. Your outer security layer acts as the first line of break-in prevention.

  • Use Security Signage: Display alarm company, Neighborhood Watch, or crime-prevention signs around your home to signal to burglars that your home is secured.
  • Install Adequate Outdoor Lighting: Ensure the exterior of your residence has sufficient lighting around doors, windows, sidewalks, and stairwells. Use motion activated LED lights with a startle effect to surprise potential intruders, making them more likely to avoid your property.
  • Remove Hiding Spots: Eliminate areas that criminals can use as hiding spots by trimming bushes and rethinking landscaping near windows, doors, patios, and balconies.

Security Layer 2: Create the Illusion of Occupancy

Burglars avoid homes when they believe someone is inside. Here’s how to create the impression that someone is home:

  • Keep Some Electronics On: Leave a television or radio on every time you leave home. 
  • Use Timers for Lights and Electronics: Install some automatic timers or smart bulbs to turn lights on and off at varying intervals. You can also use these devices to switch a radio or TV on or off at a specific time.
  • Play Background Sounds: Make an audio recording of the natural sounds inside your home when you and your family are together. Play the recording on a portable speaker while you are away to further deceive potential intruders.

Security Layer 3 – Reinforce Entry Points

While most burglars avoid breaking into occupied homes, some are more determined. For these cases, it’s essential to reinforce entry points with effective burglary prevention measures:

  • Install Strong Doors and Hinges: Solid wood or metal doors with reinforced hinges (steel screws 2-3 inches in length are ideal).
  • Use Security-Grade Deadbolts and Door Braces: A robust deadbolt paired with a quality door brace, such as the OnGARD Security Door Brace, adds significant resistance, making your front door extremely difficult to break through.
  • Secure Windows with Dowels and Security Film: Place solid dowels or rods in the tracks of windows and sliding glass doors to prevent them from being opened. Apply window security film, like BurglarGARD, to ground-level windows, to make the glass extremely difficult to break.
  • Install a Loud Alarm System: Use a home alarm system with motion detectors, glass break sensors, and strobe lights. The noise and visuals increase the likelihood of the burglar fleeing to avoid detection.

Why Layered Security Deters Burglars

These security layers make breaking into your home require more time, effort, and noise than most burglars are willing to risk. This higher break-in prevention risk is a strong deterrent, often forcing criminals to abandon their attempts and flee.

Don’t Be a Burglar’s Next Target

Protecting your home from burglary requires a multi-layered security strategy. Adding each security layer boosts your burglary prevention efforts and increases risk for intruders. Begin implementing these break-in prevention measures today to keep your family and property safe.