According to the FBI a burglary happens every 15 seconds but before you got out and buy an expensive security system there are several low cost, things you can do to protect your home. Michael Lambie with Fox Valley Metro Police says the most important thing you can do is be vigilant on locking doors and closing your garage. "You can never be safe enough and never want to say your never going to be the next victim," said Lambie. Here are just a few tips that will help keep your home safe.
Exterior doors: Always lock your dead bolt and check the screws securing your strike plate. Many new homes only have 1 1/2 inch screws. Lambie says replace it with a 3 1/2 inch screw to that your lock is secure to the house frame not just the door frame, "It will make that lock a lot more effective," said Lambie.
Exterior/timed Lighting: Lambie says consider timed lighting on the interior or exterior of your home, "it makes it appear as though some one is home through out the day," said Lambie.
Don't tempt thieves: Close windows, blinds and don't leave valuable items in plain view
Garage Doors: The Garage is a vulnerable spot. Lambie suggests looping a small zip tie through the hole that the spring attaches to and the hole on top of the bracket that goes along the easy glide rail. It stops the thief from being able to pull your emergency release from the outside.
It's also important to be aware of what you post online. Fox Valley Metro Police says many burglars have a connection to their victims, "We all add people on social media accounts that we are truly not friends with, "said Lambie. He says posts detailing a vacation or when you'll be gone for a period of time are inviting potential thieves to your home.
Everyone needs to go on vacation though, so here are a couple things you can do to protect your home while you're out of state.
1. Stop the mail or have someone pick it up.
2. Have your lawn mowed or driveway shoveled.
3. Make sure valuable items are inside the garage or a shed.
If you do get burglarized don't be afraid to call police right away.
