| Burglars break into a home every 15.4 seconds | | | | 5. Get a quality, 1" deadbolt. Basic locks can easily |
| according to the FBI. It's the most common | | | | be picked or bypassed. Deadbolts, on the other |
| threat to your home's security. With some minor | | | | hand, extend from the door into the doorframe, |
| changes, you can protect your home from | | | | creating a strong lock that's tough to beat. |
| break-ins. | | | | Multi-point locking systems, with several deadbolts |
| Burglars want to get into a house quickly and | | | | spread up and down the door, provide even |
| quietly, so if you make your home difficult to | | | | greater security. |
| break into, they'll usually move on. Here are eight | | | | 6. Protect your entry doors from kick-ins. The |
| easy ways to make yourself less of a target and | | | | most common method of forced entry is to . |
| beef up the security on your home. | | | | Many doors are easy to kick in, even if they |
| 1. Lock all windows and doors. This one may | | | | have a deadbolt. That's because the area around |
| seem silly, but many burglars get into homes | | | | the lock is reinforced with wood. When a burglar |
| because the owner forgot to lock their windows | | | | kicks at the lock, the lock often rips straight |
| or doors. And don't just keep your windows and | | | | through the wood around the lock. |
| doors locked when you're gone-lock them at night | | | | To better protect your door, get a 20-gauge |
| when you're asleep too. | | | | metal plate to reinforce the lock area. A deadbolt |
| Some windows come with special interlocking | | | | with a lock area reinforced by metal, is virtually |
| mechanisms designed to prevent burglars from | | | | impervious to kick in attempts. |
| slipping credit cards or similar items in and | | | | 7. Reinforce your patio door. Most patio doors |
| unlatching the lock. If you have a window with this | | | | have latches, not locks. Burglars can force latches |
| interlock system, make sure the windows are | | | | open from the outside. A simple way to enhance |
| aligned properly, or the lock won't protect you | | | | the security of your patio door is to put a |
| adequately. | | | | wooden block or rod in the track, preventing the |
| 2. Hide spare keys in less obvious places. Maybe | | | | door from being opened from the outside. |
| you keep a spare key under the welcome mat. | | | | Burglars can also just lift the patio door off the |
| On top of the doorframe. In the garage under a | | | | track. Since patio doors are on rollers, they aren't |
| paint can. In a stone turtle in your garden. | | | | actually secured to the track. To prevent this, |
| Burglars know to look for spare keys in these | | | | make sure your rollers are working smoothly and |
| places. Find somewhere more hidden and less | | | | your door isn't wobbly, as this indicates a burglar |
| obvious to keep your spare key. | | | | could easily pick the door up. |
| 3. Beware of open windows. Don't windows open | | | | The best way to protect your sliding patio door is |
| while you're not at home. A burglar can easily get | | | | with an auxiliary foot lock. Foot locks have metal |
| in. If you leave windows open at night, only open | | | | rods that extend into the metal track, creating a |
| them about six inches, and make sure they can't | | | | deadbolt for your patio door. This prevents the |
| be opened further from the outside. And never | | | | door from being opened even if the latch isn't in |
| leave windows near doors open, or the burglar | | | | place, and it stops the door from being lifted. |
| could reach in and unlock the door. | | | | 8. Get a timer for your lights. Burglars often case |
| 4. Reinforce any glass near or in a door. A | | | | neighborhoods, looking for homes where the lights |
| window near a door is a prime target for burglars. | | | | are out night after night. This tells the burglar that |
| A burglar could break the glass, then reach in and | | | | the owners are out of town or on a trip, and that |
| unlock the door. If you have a choice, don't put | | | | house. |
| windows within one foot of a door. If you already | | | | Don't paint a target on your house. Get a light |
| have windows near the door, or have glass in or | | | | switch timer. These are available at most home |
| around your door, make sure the glass is | | | | improvement stores. They turn your lights on and |
| tempered safety glass. This glass is four times | | | | off at a time you set. So you'll look like you're |
| stronger than regular glass, so a burglar won't be | | | | home even when you aren't. |
| able to break it easily. | | | | |