Now that spring is here, and summer is just around the corner, there are many things you can do to improve your home security. The warmer weather brings out the thieves, even with a home security system in place you’re still at risk for being targeted by burglars. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to make your home safer.

1. Lock the Doors – Believe it or not, this is how most thieves access the home – through an unlocked door. Lock the doors, burglars have said they try to door and move on if it is locked.
2. Take in Mail – Be sure to bring in your mail, newspapers and any flyers left at your door. If they pile up it appears as if you aren’t home which makes your home a more attractive target. If you do go out of town have a neighbor collect any flyers, have the mail held at the post office and stop the newspaper while you’re away.
3. Store Ladders – When you’re finished cleaning your gutters put the ladder away. Burglars don’t bring their own ladder but will gladly leave yours if you leave it out. Don’t tempt them.
4. Motion Detectors – Use motion detectors and light timers to illuminate the yard and rooms upstairs in the house. If you have a smart home you can do this from your phone or iPad.
5. Keep Yard Tidy – Mow your lawn and trim any hedges and bushes that might be good cover for a would-be burglar.
6. Load your Car in the Garage – If you are going away, load the car up in the garage so people can’t see that you’ll be leaving the house unattended for a while.
7. Get a Dog – Any sized dog will work, just so long as it barks. Burglars will pass by a home that has a barking dog no matter what size it is. A barking dog means trouble and burglars don’t want any of that.
8. Start a Neighborhood Crime Watch – Robbers and thieves hate neighborhood crime watches so start one up on your block. This is also a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors, another method for lowering the crime rate in your neighborhood.
9. Keep Tabs of your Keys – Don’t label your keys with your name or address. If a bad guy gets a hold of them all he has complete access to your home. Don’t hide keys under welcome mats or around the house in fake rocks. Burglars use Amazon too. Give a set to your neighbors if you are worried about being locked out. If you just bought the house, ask if the locks have been changed. Most people don’t change their locks when buying or selling a home. This means there people out there who probably have a set of keys to your home. For peace of mind, change the locks.
10. Keep Exteriors Locked – Lock your fences, gates and garage doors. Don’t leave your garage door open unless you are in the vicinity and can keep an eye on it.