You may be taking all precautionary measures to burglar-proof your home on the inside but the exterior is just as important. There could be telltale signs outside your house, and on your front lawn that lets thieves know whether or not your house is worth breaking in to. How can you safeguard your property? By being mindful of these 7 things that could be attracting burglars.
1. Old or broken home security signs. Experienced burglars know what to look for when it comes to home security systems and an old or broken sign on your front lawn is actually telling them that you probably don't have one installed, Fred Turra, ADT Custom Home Sales Manager for the San Francisco Bay Area, told Reader's Digest.
2. Expensive-looking items in your yard. To a burglar, those expensive-looking outdoor ornaments and planters decorating your front yard is an advertisement for more expensive items to be found inside your home, Tura said. Rather avoid placing expensive items in your yard.
3. A ladder. You have gone to great lengths to burglar-proof your house but sometimes it is easy to overlook seemingly simple items that welcome robbers into your home. Like a ladder carelessly left in your yard, which Tura explained could be used to break into your home.
4. Trash cans. The last thing you are thinking about when you put the trash out is how burglars could use your trash cans to gain entry into your house but this is exactly what could happen if you are not careful. Tura recommended securing your trash cans so that they cannot be moved.
5. Glass doors. Burglars tend to avoid breaking into houses via glass doors where possible but they will use them if need be, Tura said. See-through doors also offer burglars a glimpse of what is inside your home. Replacing your glass-doors with something sturdier that does not leave your house exposed could go a long way in burglar-proofing your home.
6. Mail and newspapers. A dead giveaway that you are not home is the mail piling up in your mailbox, or newspapers gathering in your driveway. Tura suggested discontinuing your newspaper and mail services if you are heading out of town, or asking a neighbor to collect them.
7.Large hedges and thick vegetation. A yard with large hedges or dense vegetation can provide burglars with dozens of hiding places Tura explained. This allows thieves to go undetected, which is definitely not what you want. Make sure you keep your plants and hedges well-trimmed.
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