Do you want to better protect your home or business against burglary? Then it helps to first understand how burglars gain entry and what they look for. An open window, a poorly lit backyard, or a door that’s only been shut—not locked—can be enough to make a home a more attractive target. Sometimes, intruders will also try to find out if anyone is home first, for example by ringing the doorbell or approaching the house. Fortunately, you can significantly reduce the risk of a break-in with a few simple measures. Check out our top burglary prevention tips below and see which steps you can take today.
A burglar usually doesn’t choose the hardest route. The more time, noise, and effort it takes to get inside, the greater the chance that a home will be skipped.
That’s why many break-ins start at doors, windows, or sliding doors. A window left ajar or a back door that isn’t properly locked makes it much easier to get inside. Items around the house can also inadvertently help. Think of a ladder, a trash can, or garden furniture that makes it easier for someone to reach an upper floor.
The police therefore advise always securing windows and doors properly, even when you’re only away from home for a short time. Also, make sure you have good locks and hinges, lighting around the house, and a locked back gate.
A question we hear regularly is: Why do burglars knock on the window? Or: Why does someone ring the doorbell and then walk away immediately?
This doesn’t always mean something suspicious is going on. A stranger ringing the doorbell or knocking on a window isn’t, in itself, proof that someone is trying to break in. However, people with malicious intent may try to determine whether residents are home. They might do this, for example, by ringing the doorbell, looking around the house, or lingering in the neighborhood for an unusually long time.
If you see someone peering into multiple homes or acting suspiciously, trust your common sense. If you notice a suspicious situation that might indicate a burglary is being planned, the police advise you to call 112.
A doorbell camera or other form of video surveillance can help with this. You can see who’s at your door without having to open it and, depending on the system, review the footage later.
Effective burglary prevention relies on a combination of complementary measures. For example, simply installing a camera isn’t the same as fully securing your home.
Start with the basics. Check that doors and windows close properly and make sure to actually lock the doors. A front door that’s simply pulled shut is not the same as a locked front door. Don’t forget to check your shed, garage, back door, and sliding doors as well.
Also, make sure valuable items aren’t clearly visible from the street. A laptop on the table or expensive equipment near a window can attract unnecessary attention.
Lighting also plays an important role. Dark corners next to or behind a home, in particular, give someone more opportunity to operate unseen. Good outdoor lighting, possibly with a motion detector, makes such a spot less attractive.
Do you want to go beyond good locks and lighting? Then you can opt for electronic burglary protection.
For example, an alarm system can use magnetic contacts on doors and windows and motion detectors inside the home. If a secured door is opened while the alarm is active, the system can immediately send an alert.
Camera security serves a different purpose. It allows you to see what’s happening around your home or business and record footage. The combination is valuable because an alarm system alerts you, while cameras can provide more insight into what’s actually happening.
Consider, for example, a retail space that’s empty in the evening. A motion detector detects activity while a security camera captures footage of the entrance and the premises. In this way, both systems complement each other.
Even when you’re on vacation, not everyone needs to know it. Use timers or smart lighting to have lights turn on at different times. Ask someone to pick up your mail and make sure trash cans don’t sit unused in the exact same spot for days on end.
Also, avoid publicly announcing on social media that you’ll be away from home for several weeks.
The police also recommend using lights when it’s dark and you’re not home. The goal is simple: to prevent it from being immediately obvious from the outside that a house is empty.
Take a walk around your own home. Where would you try to get in if you wanted to do so as quickly and inconspicuously as possible?
A dark side path, an old shed door, or a window hidden behind tall bushes suddenly stand out more. It’s precisely these spots that are often overlooked when it comes to burglary prevention.
That may sound simple, but in practice, a check like this often reveals surprising areas for improvement. Want to know which combination of alarm and camera is right for your home? Then stop by our showroom in Gorinchem. We can show you various security systems and take the time to explain how they work.
Someone with malicious intent may try to determine whether a home is occupied by, for example, ringing the doorbell, looking around the property, or checking for lights and other signs of occupancy. Of course, not everyone who rings the doorbell or knocks on a window is a burglar. If you notice behavior that is clearly suspicious and appears to be part of a burglary in the making, call 112.
Burglars are primarily interested in items that are valuable, easy to carry, and easy to resell. Think of cash, jewelry, phones, laptops, tablets, watches, and other electronics. The police therefore advise against leaving valuable electronics in plain sight near windows and recommend keeping a detailed record of your valuables.
Burglars have little interest in situations where they need a lot of time and run a high risk of being discovered. Good locks, closed windows, outdoor lighting, visibility from the street, an alarm system, and security cameras can raise the barrier to entry. It’s mainly about having multiple layers of security that, together, make it harder to break in.
If you discover a break-in and suspect the burglar is still in the home or in the immediate vicinity, do not go inside yourself; call 112 immediately. Even if you witness a burglary in progress, 112 is the right number to call. If the perpetrator has left and there is no longer an immediate emergency, call the police at 0900-8844 to file a report and receive further instructions. Do not clean up anything before you have spoken with the police, as there may be evidence left behind. Also, block any stolen bank cards and SIM cards as soon as possible.
