Theft Deterrents That Don't Work

theft deterrents

When it comes to home security, you can never be too careful, however, there seems to be more than a few useless security measures circulating. Find out what they are, and why they simply don't work.

There are lots of myths and horror-stories, legends and superstitions related to the safety of our homes and burglars in general. From never taking an old broom with you in your new home as it will carry negativity into your new life to stuffing fennel seeds in the keyhole to keep bad luck and sorcery from entering your home, there are tons of more or less crazy, illogical or surreal stories out there. The cold facts, however, are probably more convincing and scary than anything else: the Federal Bureau of Investigation speaks about one home burglary occurring every 15 seconds in the U.S. That's 4 burglaries a minute, which is startling on its own.

Fortifying the security of your home is a must nowadays. Burglars are constantly updating their strategies and finding new ways of entering your home without being noticed while keeping up with the latest home security trends.

The more advanced and numerous your home security measures, the less appealing your home will look to potential intruders and burglars. Unfortunately, not all home security measures are as efficient as you might think they are. A few of them are, in fact, pretty useless, as they simply don't work. Below you are going to discover a few of the most popular theft deterrents that don't work and hopefully save precious time, energy and money.

Here are the popular security measures that we have compiled that don't work:

Stop Hiding Your Cash Under The Mattresshide cash

Or anywhere else inside the bedroom, for that matter. Burglars are well aware of this old and unfortunately obsolete habit of hiding valuables in the bedroom. In fact, even an amateur will probably look here first after breaking into your home. Instead of practically handing over your prized possessions, money or expensive jewelry on a silver platter, act smart and choose less obvious hideouts. Use different locations and get as creative as you can. The bottom of a cereal box stashed in the pantry or a shoebox buried in the bedroom closet could prove to be useful ideas.

Don't Display The Name Of Your Security Company

While you might be tempted to post a sign with the name of the security company that monitors your home, you could be unwillingly doing potential burglars a big favor. Thieves will make full use of any bits and pieces of information they can find on the security measures and systems protecting your home to try to get past them. Instead of placing a sign with the company's name on display, you can simply post general monitoring signs, letting crooks know your home is under surveillance.

Don't Light Up Their Path

You might have heard that leaving the lights on when leaving your home for a few days or for a few hours will create the illusion that you are at home. This, in turn, should scare off potential burglars lingering around. In reality, leaving the lights on nonstop is, in fact, a genuine beacon to thieves. It's telling them exactly what you don't want them to know – that you are not home. This also counts among the theft deterrents that are not only a waste of time and money (think in terms of your energy bill), but it is also likely to show opposite results.

Timers that can be controlled remotely will work a lot better. You will be able to simply flip the lights inside and around your home (porch, patio, balcony, driveway) on and off during the day, at different hours every time, and actually, create the illusion that you are home.

Don't Suspend Your Mailsuspend mail

A mailbox with zero mail or no morning newspaper on the doormat will draw more attention than a pile of papers and fliers no one bothered to pick up. For someone who has been keeping a close eye on your home during the last few weeks, any change of habit will look suspicious and eventually lead to them acting. After all, it looks like you are out of town, so why wouldn't they try their luck?

Don't Get A Big Dog

Even though you may love dogs of all shapes and sizes, getting a big one for the sake of using it as a thief deterrent will simply not work. Big dogs, especially older ones, are calmer, they move with less ease, and they could be sound asleep while a quiet burglar would be doing the deed. You want a small, agitated, barking dog that is difficult to control. Such a dog will immediately draw the attention of neighbors, passers-by, or of anyone who might be sleeping inside the house while a thief might attempt to break in.

Don't Use Cheap Locksquality door lock

While any lock is better than no lock, you will need to make sure that your home is actually protected against intruders with the help of high-quality locks. Deadbolt locks are your best bet if you do not plan on investing in some more advanced electronic, keypad access or smart locks controlled via smartphones. Also, remember to keep your entryways locked all the time, or else you will render them useless.

If you need help choosing the most reliable set of locks for your doors and windows, you should get in touch with professional locksmith services. Get Locksmith can offer you the most reliable, affordable, and fast licensed locksmith services for residential needs. When it comes to the security of your home, you should always rely on authorized and experienced technicians whose job is to install re-key and fix locks.