There is a home invasion in the US approximately every 15 seconds (unfortunately, Nashville and Brentwood are not exempt). If you look around your home you will see locks on the doors and windows, and perhaps you even leave the lights on outside. Those are the top two things you can do to frustrate burglars.
Johnston & Associates would like to give you some more tips on how you can frustrate would-be-burglars.
- Don’t give an invitation. That may sound a little weird – who would invite a burglar? But many people unknowingly invite burglars by advertising what they have.
- When you purchase an item like a television, don’t put the empty box out with the trash. Tear the box up and put it in a trash bag, or flatten the box and recycle it.
- Don’t leave items such as bicycles outside for everyone to see. The same goes for inside. Open your curtains or blinds and walk around your house. What do you see? This doesn’t mean you can’t have a television where others can see, but hide those purses and billfolds.
- Don’t provide hiding places. Even if you leave the lights on, tall bushes provide burglars with an opportunity. Take time to trim tall bushes near windows and doors. Have a friend help by having them hide behind your bushes. If they can hide, trim the bushes even more.
- Secure sliding glass doors with a metal rod or piece of plywood in the track.
- Use timers on lights and rotate the timers throughout the house to keep a possible burglar guessing whether or not you are home.
- If you are gone for several days, let a neighbor park in your driveway so it appears you are home.
- If you are gone for several days, don’t close all your drapes and blinds, as that is a sure sign you are gone.
- Put a security sign on your doors and windows. People don’t know if you actually have a security company, so it might discourage a possible burglar.
- Use motion detectors on outdoor lights. Houses with outdoor lights are targeted less often than houses without lights.
Just a few tips we hope will help prevent a crime. Please call us if we can answer your questions or be of any assistance with your insurance needs – both personal and commercial! This is a great time to shop around for a new homeowners policy.