Crime prevention is important.
For yourself, for your family members, for other loved ones, for your home and for your office.
Nobody wants to be the victim of a crime, even a minor one. It can be a traumatic event and lead to loss of money, possessions, time, and often cause you to miss time at work. Worst case, it can even lead to loss of life.
That’s why it is important to do what you can to prevent crime.
To help keep you, your home, your loved ones, etc. safe, we’ve compiled the best crime prevention advice from police agencies around the world.
Keep reading for our best crime prevention tips. We’re going to focus our efforts mostly on the home, since that is why most visitors come this website, but most of the advice is equally applicable to the office, or any other location.
Crime Prevention Strategies From Police Agencies
Here are some of the top tips for preventing crime around your home from the police.
Install Effective Lighting
Effective lighting is a great defense against burglars. Officers mention having a light in both the front and rear in order to help prevent home break-ins.
The best lights are the solar powered ones because after the initial investment, they’re free. They charge themselves during the day and then turn on during the night when you need them.
Check out: Best Solar Powered Lights.
You’ll also want to consider keeping shrubs and trees trimmed. Make sure that they don’t block doors or windows.
Crime Prevention Tip: Use Outdoor Lighting
Make It Appear Like You’re Home Even When You’re Not
It’s important to appear like you’re home even when you’re not. When you go on vacation, you should, of course, get friends or neighbors to bring in the mail and cut the grass.
But, if you’re away for the weekend or coming home late at night, it’s easier to take care of things yourself. Our favorite method for making it look like you’re home when you’re not is a fake TV.
You can program them to turn themselves on when it gets dark and then the flickering light will make it look like people are home watching TV.
See: The Best Fake TVs.
Install A Peephole
This list of home-safety tips mentions that you should install a peephole in every door that opens to the outside. That way you can see who is outside of your door before having to open it.
Those chains that you can get to open the door only part way are easily kicked in with even a small amount of force. The best peepholes are the video ones because you can see who is outside without them knowing that you’re looking back at them.
See: Best Peephole Door Cameras.
Peephole Door Camera Installation
Install A Home Security System
Installing a home security system like a Q-See Camera is an effective way to prevent crime, but only if you have the budget for it (if not, see the next tip for a cheaper alternative).
The very fact that burglars can see security cameras around your house is often deterrent enough for them to move onto the next house, one that looks easier and less risky to break into.
Our top pick for top-quality home protection systems is Lorex. The video is very clear, the systems are easy to install and the support is excellent.
See: Lorex Security Cameras.
Install Fake Security Cameras
If you can afford a surveillance camera system or a home alarm system (or both), then that is your best choice. But if you’re on a tight budget, an expensive security system just isn’t viable.
The good news is that in terms of crime prevention, fake security cameras are often good enough, as long as you put them in the right locations. They look very realistic and most burglars won’t stick around long enough to test them out. They’ll just go to the next house where there is less risk for them to be caught committing a crime on camera.
Check out: Best Fake Security Cameras.
Be Careful When On Vacation
When you go on vacation, don’t make it obvious that you’re not home. Make sure to do the following:
- Get a trusted neighbor to collect your mail, mow your grass and keep an eye on things around your home
- Consider using something like a Fake TV, or timer lights
- Try not to post about your vacation on social media until you’re back home
- Consider using a smart home camera to detect things like moisture, smoke, or movement in your house
Regularly Check Locks
Make sure that all locks on doors and windows are working well. A good rule of thumb is to test them every six months or so, or before you go on vacation.
You may also want to consider reinforcing your patio door, a notoriously easy target for burglars. Check out some of our top picks here: The Best Patio Door Locks.
Keep Doors Closed And Locked, Even When At Home
It may seem nice to leave your doors open on a nice summer day, but thieves just love the easy access they get with an open, or even just an unlocked, door. Simply getting into the habit of shutting and locking the door behind you can prevent many problems.
Not a habit now? Make it one!
Close Curtains And Blinds
This is particularly true at night when it’s extremely easy to see what’s inside. If you leave them open, you’re effectively advertising what you have on offer to thieves.
Pay close attention to rooms with expensive electronics.
Keep Valuables In A Safe Or Safety Deposit Box
Don’t leave valuables or important documents like passports just lying around the house. Keep them in a safe in an out of the way place. If it’s small, consider bolting it to the floor so someone can’t just pick it up and walk away with it.
Better yet, consider a safety deposit box at a local bank.
Ask For ID
If anyone wants to gain access to your house, and you haven’t previously organized for them to be there (for example, a repair person, or insurance broker), then ask for ID. It’s quite easy to impersonate a government official for example.
Scout Out Your Property
Take a walk around your home and property. Try to see things through the eyes of a bad guy. Is there a basement window that’s well hidden behind a bush but big enough for a person to fit through?
Is there a clear view of an expensive home entertainment unit or extensive liquor collection through a window where you rarely draw the curtains?
Is there a spot that’s dark, well hidden away from street lights?
A garage door or storage shed door that isn’t locked?
Take steps to rectify any issues you notice.
Store Expensive Things Away
Never keep things like a bicycle or BBQ outside. It may seem like a bit of a hassle to put it away each time you use it, but it’ll go a long way towards preventing it from getting stolen.
This also helps to prevent theft inside your house. If your outside is filled with all sorts of toys and goodies, then thieves will begin to imagine what might be inside the house.
Clean-Up Around Your House
A lawn full of weeds, or graffiti everywhere signals that you don’t care about your home. Chances are that if you can’t be bothered to mow the lawn, then you haven’t bothered to install and maintain a home security system, for example.
Put Reflective Numbers On Your Mailbox Or Door
Thieves often look for houses that can’t be easily identified. They might have numbers on the mailbox or door, but they’re small and partially obstructed. This makes it difficult for the police or security companies to find your house in case of emergency, and gives the bad guys more time to slip away.
Instead, use big, reflective numbers in at least two spots on your house.
Moving? Change The Locks To Your New Place
Think about it this way. How easy would it be for the person who just moved out to keep a spare key or two to your place? Super easy. They could keep an eye on your home, and when you go on vacation, have a key to get it and take whatever they want.
Changing the locks doesn’t cost that much, but it’s an easy way to prevent this problem.
Need More Safety Tips?
If you’re looking for even more home safety tips and rules to follow, please see: Home Safety Rules to Follow.
If you’re looking for advice specific to seniors, you’ll want to check this out: Safety Tips around the Home for the Elderly.
Crime Prevention Tips: Your Thoughts
What’s your #1 tip for preventing crime? Leave a comment below and let us know. Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.
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