No One Thinks It Could Happen to Them

Almost 6 years on my birthday our home was burglarized. This post is on tips on how to protect yourself from home burglary based on things I learned going through the experience. Twice.

What are the chances?! My family’s home was burglarized when I was 11 and then my own family’s home was burglarized as an adult.

No one was home, or hurt, either time, which was the most important thing, but once you are the victim of a crime like this, you are never quite the same. Which is why I wanted to write this post – in the hopes that some of these tips on how to protect yourself from home burglary might keep it from happening to one of you.

The truth is, no one thinks it could happen to them. I see neighbors leave windows wide open when they are not home, and I cringe, because I know, it can happen.

I am going to share my most important tip first. Please do this today, like after reading this post…

1. Do not keep valuable jewelry in your jewelry box!!!

Your jewelry is what is typically most sentimental, and most every person keeps their jewelry, costume or valuable, in the same place.  Robbers know this. Any pieces you own that are not worn daily on your body HIDE in a location a robber would not be able to find quickly when canvasing your house for small items that can be sold or pawned easily.

2. Lock all windows and doors when you leave your house. 

Even if you are just running down the street to the market, lock your doors and windows when you leave! Most robbers watch or check to make sure people are not home, and can be in and out of your home with your valuables in a very short amount of time.

We take it a step further and put sticks in our windows as well, along with a padlock on our outside gate that leads to our backyard.

3. Get a home alarm system. 

I talked to my husband the week before we were robbed about getting an alarm system. It was literally on our list to do. After the burglary, we had one installed the next day. It makes me feel so much safer having an alarm. We set it every time we leave and every night when we sleep.

Prices have gone down considerably. It’s more affordable than you think.

 4. Keep/record the serial numbers on all your electronics. 

If something is stolen, the police will ask if you have the serial number. If an item is pawned, there is a chance it will be recovered through the serial number if you have it. This happened to us – we got our camcorder back from a pawn shop when it was found through the serial number.

5. Keep the power cords in a separate place from your devices.

I saw a “recovered” robber on a nightly news show offering tips on how to protect yourself from home burglary, and he said it is more difficult to sell items without chargers and advised to keep them in a different place.

6. Deter, deter, deter

Make the outside of your house less desirable…alarm signs, Beware of Dog signs, bushes trimmed so windows/doors are not hidden, lock on your backyard gate, locked doors/windows, etc. Anything that makes your home look like more of a risk that the next one or more difficult to get in, is a good thing.

 Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. Any other tips or advice you would like to share from experience or not?