Well, it’s that time of year where many of us dread, daylight savings time. Some criminals love the time change because they find homeowners advertising, “Hey! Over here, no one is home.” These predators cruise neighborhoods, becoming familiar with the patterns—every neighborhood functions with its distinct patterns.
Criminals have time on their side; they learn who’s home after 3 PM or how many deliveries the UPS driver makes a week to specific houses. The violator will vary the vehicles used and drive-thru times, grabbing intel on the neighborhood. Some criminal masterminds will incorporate Google Maps in their planning because it exposes the property to infiltration and exfiltration without ever being seen. They’ll park their non-descript car a short distance away or get dropped off to make their way to the chosen house. A house with no lights on or activity occurring from within thus becomes the target of opportunity. As a rule of thumb, anytime the risk is low, the odds of victimization are great.
HOMES ALARM SYSTEMS
A home alarm system is an excellent investment. The weak point of a home alarm without perimeter warning is considered a passive system. Your home alarm should have a loud siren, so the neighbor two streets over watching Netflix will hear it. Once the window or door is pried open, the audible siren alerts immediately.
A silent, passive alarm sending the police a signal will still give burglars at least 10 minutes. Once the criminal breaches your home, he or they will have the time to run through rooms before police arrive. Most B&E guys are experts, and they work on a time limit. Let’s ponder what can be picked through and stolen in ten minutes? The advantage of having an external audible alarm is similar to having a barking dog. You can’t control who will hear it and immediately respond to the noise.
YOU DON’T HAVE AN ALARM
If you’re not going with a simple home alarm system, then get creative. Misdirection defeated many an enemy. Use light timers and set them to switch on at dusk. Set the window shades 3/4 of the way closed. Use interval start times on the light timers. Have the living room light switch on at 4-to-4:30 PM, and a bedroom in the back of the house activate a light at 5:30 PM. I’d even plug in a radio with the volume up further, giving the appearance of someone being home. Of course, you still have to own a radio. No criminal will take the chance; it’s easier to move onto the house where it’s completely dark with no signs of life inside. These tips are excellent for apartments and condos as well.
There you have it, so be proactive during daylight savings time. It’s called situational awareness. Speak to someone who’s come home to a break-in. You never shake the feeling of being violated or the fear someone is hiding in your place of sanctuary. With a bit of effort, you can now deter a B&E from occurring in your home.