Keep Your Property Secure

Who among us as property owners hasn’t been concerned with the rising rates of theft, vandalism, and destruction of property. While we cannot avoid these unfortunate circumstances, we can take measures to eliminate some of the opportunities.

Does your neighborhood have a Neighborhood Watch Program set up? Organize one. Are you participating in Operation ID? Get the info on it and take the steps necessary. Take a clue from yours or your neighbors' "city living skills." Nosey neighbors make good neighbors for your security and safety.

Seasonal cabins are a primary target, therefore any measures you can take to make your property unattractive to a would-be thief should be considered.

In the winter months keep your drives plowed and walkways shoveled. A plowed driveway is a good indicator that someone is either in residence or likely to return soon. Should you not be in the area, there are numerous services that are capable of taking care of many aspects of winter maintenance. These include shoveling of walks, plowing of drives, surveying your property for strange tracks, and checking the overall condition of your property.
Throughout the year, motion detectors are an inexpensive and effective method of deterring a potential thief at your property. There are several kinds, from outdoor yard lights to interior lamp switches. Many are adjustable as to their sensitivity and can be set to your liking. Timers can also be purchased inexpensively. Set to a lamp, these devices can give the effect of someone being home.
Leave some drapes open. With your lights on and drapes open a potential burglar may assume someone is home.
Talk to a friend or neighbor about keeping an eye on your place. This can be beneficial in many ways, as often windows can break, trees can go down and in general "things" happen.
Invest in some good dead bolt locks. This simple measure is probably the most effective method of securing our property.
Should you have sliding doors, make sure a piece of wood cut to the right length is blocking the door from opening. This should be done in conjunction with locking the door itself.

While these are some of the simple and inexpensive things one can do to reduce your risks, there are several sophisticated electronic home surveillance, detection systems and services on the market. These can detect break-ins, fire, power outages, temperature changes, and a host of functions.

While nothing can eliminate the possibility of a break in or vandalism, by following some of these simple yet effective methods, you can greatly reduce the chances.