San Antonio residents may worry about property crimes and protecting their homes. Right now, residents have a one in 25 chance of being the victim of a property crime. This number includes burglary, thefts, and motor vehicle thefts. Thankfully, there are a number of easy and creative ways for San Antonio residents to protect their homes and belongings.
Use a Fake Safe
Need to hide documents in a safe? Hide the safe well, and then put a fake safe in an obvious place. The goal is for the thieves to steal the inexpensive, fake safe and not bother to look for the real one. This way, they think they’ve got something valuable and leave the home, yet the homeowner isn’t missing any of their valuables.
Change the Screws in the Door Jamb
The door jamb usually has small screws, just long enough to get it to stay in the doorframe. This is the biggest weakness for doors, as it’s easy to break the small screws out of the wall and open the door just by kicking it. With longer screws, this is far more difficult, so it’s less likely a thief will be able to kick in the door and get inside the home.
Use Smart Lights
Smart lights can be installed in homes for little money today. Even if the resident isn’t going to get a hub to be able to tell the lights to go on and off, they can install a few inexpensive bulbs. They’ll need to download an app on their phone, but when they go on vacation, they can easily turn the lights on and off to make it look like someone’s home.
Toss Some Dog Toys in the Yard
Many burglars are going to avoid homes that have dogs since it can be dangerous to enter the home and deal with a protective dog. Yet, dogs are a commitment, so they’re not the perfect choice for everyone. Residents who can’t have a dog may want to leave a toy or two on their porch anyways. Some burglars may see the toy and decide it’s not worth the risk to break into the home.
Clamp the Garage Door Closed
When residents are going on vacation, they’ll take care to close the garage door. However, it is possible for garage doors to be opened if the thief can match the code or simply pull the door up manually. To avoid this risk, use a few clamps on the inside of the door and make sure it’s clamped securely. Then, it won’t be able to be opened from the outside, so a thief can’t use it to get into the home.
With more than 9,000 burglaries in San Antonio every year, residents are advised to take the necessary steps to protect their home. Above are some of the more creative ways to help keep the home safer. The best option, however, remains a security system. Today’s systems are less expensive, and they’re the perfect way to make sure the home is protected, whether anyone is there or not.
