If you are like most people, you do not spend your days worrying about whether someone will attempt to break in to your home. You go about your business with the assumption that nothing will happen. And on most days, that is exactly the case. But all it takes is one burglary to have you second guessing what you could have done differently.
If you have not yet been the victim of burglary, your turn could be right around the corner. Do you know how easy it is for someone to break into your home? The easier it is, the greater the chances it will eventually happen. It is just common sense that burglars look for easy targets. That is why security experts encourage property owners to make unauthorized entry as hard as possible.
Entry Through the Front Door
Vivint Smart Home, a nationwide provider of monitored home security systems and smart home devices, says that the front door is the most common entry point for burglars. This is supported by reams of data published annually by the FBI. This particular fact is so well known among security companies that it is stated with impunity.
Surprisingly, burglars don’t always have to pick a lock or kick in the front door. According to a survey conducted among convicted burglars in Oregon, the most common way to enter through front door is finding it unlocked and walking right in. Talk about an easy target!
Locking Even When You’re Home
It goes without saying that we should lock our doors whenever we leave home. But experts recommend keeping doors locked even when we are there. Why? Imagine being confronted by a burglar who finds the door unlocked and walks in. You are immediately put in a dangerous situation that might not end well.
Burglars do not necessarily want to get caught. So even when they find an unlocked door, they are likely to knock or ring the doorbell to ascertain if anyone is home. But this is just a general rule; there are no guarantees. Burglars have been known to walk in on residents without checking first.
Entry Level Walks Our Flimsy
Another thing to consider is that entry level locks are often flimsy. You get what you pay for. If your front and rear doors are secured only by a couple of bargain basement locks purchased from the hardware store, just know that your home has limited protection against burglary. A well-placed kick could breach your door in under a second and without much fuss.
Entry level locks are also more likely to be picked. The more basic a lock is, the easier it is to breach. The best that a homeowner can do in terms of locks is install deadbolts. A modern smart lock works as effectively as a mechanical deadbolt with the added advantages that come with smart home security. Smart locks can be monitored and accessed remotely, which is a tremendous help.
Don’t Make It Easy
Locks are just one aspect of protecting your home. You also need to think about first-floor windows, basement doors and windows, and even the garage. The key to breaking in to a home is to get in quickly without making a lot of noise.
If burglars can do that at your home, your chances of being burglarized are pretty high. Do not wait to learn the hard way. Don’t make it easy on them. In fact, go out of your way to make breaking into your home as difficult as possible. That is the best way to stay safe and secure.