Did you know an estimated 3.7 million burglaries occur each year? Even scarier is that one household member was present in roughly one million of those break-ins and became victims of violent crimes. The statistics surrounding burglaries and home break-ins are startling to say the least, but they happen and most of them could have been prevented. Before it’s too late, you must ask yourself if you are being proactive and taking the steps to protect your home and your family the best way.

 

If you live in San Francisco or the surrounding Bay area, Tommy’s Locksmith is the best locksmith that you can count on. Whether you need emergency assistance in the event of a lockout or your car keys transponder is not responsive, just call Tommy’s! We are always available for emergencies and open seven days a week for non-emergency locksmith services.

How To Prevent A Break-In

If you’ve recently been a victim of a home break-in, chances are you never want to have to go through that again. Even if you’ve never experienced a burglary, prevention is key. Fortunately we have plenty of options these days when it comes to home security, and in this article we’ll provide you with a few tips to protect your home and deter uninvited visitors.

Home Burglary Statistics

Before we go on about the importance of home security, here are few home burglary statistics to keep in mind:

 

  • Home invasions are more likely to occur during the day between 6:00 am – 6:00 pm.
  • Only 17% of houses have a home security system in place
  • Homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be burglarized.
  • The most common tools used for breaking in are pry bars, screwdrivers, and hammers.
  • 65% of trespassers targeted homes of people they knew personally
  • Renters are more likely to be burglarized than homeowners.

 

Protect Your Home   

Now that you know the ugly truth about home invasions, you might be asking yourself how you can avoid becoming a victim. Continue reading to learn helpful tips and strategies to keep your home safe from break-ins.

Hire A Locksmith

Most people don’t research professional residential and auto locksmiths until it becomes an emergency. We encourage people to find a trustworthy business like Tommy’s Locksmith that they can count on if and when an emergency takes place. We understand that the security of your home is your number one priority and you can count on us to get the job done right the first time because the last thing we want to do is compromise your family’s safety. Tommy’s Locksmith is full-service locksmith serving San Francisco, Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, El Cerrito, and Richmond. We are more than just an emergency locksmith, we also provide lock repair and replacement, rekeying, high security lock installation and upgrades, keypad lock installation, as well as mailbox and file cabinet locks.  

 

Additional Protection Options

Aside from hiring a dependable locksmith, there are several other methods you can do to deter burglars.

 

Make Your Home Less Appealing

This doesn’t mean to give up on lawn maintenance and let the exterior of your home fall apart. Instead, you need to make your home less appealing to burglars. Remove objects like bushes and other structures that can provide cover away from the entrance of your home. Doing so will eliminate your home from being a candidate of a home invasion.

 

Make Home Improvements

If you want to take the extra step in keeping your home safe from home invasions, you might want to consider making a few minor home improvements. Installing metal or solid core wood doors to the exterior entrances makes it more difficult to break down or pry open. For sliding glass doors, use a dowel or board into the track so that it will prevent the door from sliding, even when it is unlocked. Additionally, simply installing a deadbolt lock to all of the exterior entrance doors can deter burglars as it takes more effort to pry open and the chances of them gaining entry without getting noticed is slim.

Adding subtle objects to your front porch that indicates you are a dog owner will also help deter invaders. Don’t have a dog? No problem. Just add a “Beware of Dog” sign on a fence or near the entrance of your home could throw off burglars from targeting your home.

 

Use Your Best Judgement

Create home security habits and develop a plan of action in the event that someone might be trying to break in while you’re home. For instance, keep your porch lights on, day or night. If someone is knocking at your door unexpectedly, don’t answer, but still make your presence known—you are not obligated to answer your door to anyone. Should you decide to open the door to the stranger, do so while you are on the phone, even if you have to pretend to be on a call. This tells the burglar that someone else who is not present will know what is going on if a break-in occurs.

 

Get Involved

Whether you live in a subdivision or on acreage, it’s a good idea to become familiar with your neighbors. Your neighbors are your first line of defense. An unofficial oath is taken when you move in that you will keep an eye out for them, as they will for you. Become familiar with schedules and living situations so you know what is unusual for their routine.

 

What About Vacation?

You’re certainly entitled to leaving your home and venture away for a vacation, however trespassers are smarter than we give them credit for and if they want to break in, they’ll do their research. If you plan to be away from home for vacation or a work trip, devise a plan to ensure that your home doesn’t become a target. This could involve your most trusted neighbors to check in on your home by turning porch lights on at night, and off during the day. Keep important information safe, hidden, and updated. This includes receipts for high-priced items and copies of your vehicle VIN numbers and registration and other documents that come along with valuable items.

 

We understand that home invasions can happen to anyone, even if you feel like you have taken preventative action. However, that shouldn’t stop you from taking preventative measures to keep your home protected. The best form of prevention is to keep your home protected and hiring a local locksmith like Tommy’s Locksmith.

Contact us today for all of your auto, commercial, and residential locksmithing needs! We are available for emergency lockouts, residential lock installation, and more!