7 common homeowner mistakes – A burglar’s view

Do you know how a burglar thinks? A lot of research has been done lately to really see what’s going on in the mind of a burglar, and what exactly leads them to target your home instead of the one next door. Here are some things your neighbourhood thief doesn't want you to know:

- Ladders are awesome

Do you know how easy it is for me to climb through a second story window when there’s already a handy ladder leaning against your house or hiding behind your shed! You probably aren't even worried about locking your upstairs windows when your front door is bolted up tight, ladders just make breaking in a walk in the park.

Solution: Keep all your windows and doors locked, even the windows on the second floor and always make sure any ladders are hidden away in the garage or shed.

- Rubbish is like a catalogue
The holidays are the best time of the year, I can rummage through your trash and find out exactly what’s in your house. Where did that brand new flat screen TV’s box go or the box for your fancy new iPhone? It went in the bin, great!

Solution: Never, ever leave boxes of expensive items outside your house by the bin. If its possible take them directly to the garbage dump.

- Piles of mail are a dead giveaway
Who lets there postbox overflow and pile up? People on holiday, that’s who! I’m going to be pretty serious about robbing a house that’s so obviously empty.

Solution: Before you leave to go on holiday call the post office and tell them to hold your post until you’re back, or you can just get a neighbour or friend to collect your mail for you.

- Untrimmed bushes and dark areas are my favourite hiding spots
The more overgrown your bushes are, the more excited I am to hide in them especially if they’re near a window! Even better there are no outside lights that are set off by motion, now I can break into your home and you won’t even notice me.

Solution: Make sure your bushes and trees are as neat as possible so they don’t double as hiding spots, it is also a good idea to install motion sensor outside lights for extra security.

- Nothing is better than an alarm system with a view
I simply love being able to see your alarm system, whether it’s in a reflection or through a mirror I can easily see if its armed or not and tell what I’m getting myself into. You’d be surprised how many times reflections and mirrors have helped me break in.

Solution: If you’re planning to leave the house or go on holiday and your alarm system is visible through a window or in a reflection make sure to cover it up properly with blinds or shades.

- Burglars love Facebook too
When you sit and brag about your trip to Miami or post pictures of your current location in Cancun, I definitely won’t like it, but I will like breaking into your home, knowing that your house is empty.

Solution: It’s so tempting to post pictures and statues about your amazing trip in real time, but it’s safer to just wait until you've returned home.

- Dark houses are the main attraction
If the lights in your home aren't on for 7 days straight it’s a dead giveaway that no one is home, I like to wait a few days just in case, but if no one shows up, I get the show on the road!

Solution: Install a timer in some rooms that will turn lights on and off, that way your house will look lived in. burglars will be more cautious to break into a home if they see changing lights at different times of the day.

When a burglar does decide that your home is the one, only a monitored alarm system has the power to ensure that emergency personnel are dispatched to your home immediately, contact SIS – Security & Investigation Services for a professional home security system, they pride themselves on protecting your home or business.

Written By: Christine Romans