June 26, 2013
DURHAM REGION – In order to protect your home, you must first understand what makes your home attractive to criminals. Generally, criminals look for opportunities to increase their chances of success.
Criminals start by assessing your home from the street. Does your home have excessive landscaping and solid wood fencing? Burglars look for privacy - homes that conceal them from neighbours or a passerby. By obscuring windows and doors and providing cover, overgrown landscaping and too-high fences offer them an opportunity to move around your property without being detected. To avoid making this common mistake, consider the mature size of any trees or shrubs that you are thinking of planting, avoid fast growing species that require more aggressive maintenance, and remove excessive landscaping around doors and windows paying special attention to the amount of cover your property provides relative to your neighbours.
A home that isn't well maintained tells potential burglars that no one is home. They look to see if there are flyers or newspapers piling up at your front door. Snowy driveways, uncut lawns, porch lights on during the day, or window blinds that are drawn during the day are obvious signs to a criminal selecting a target.
Lighting or lack of lighting can also draw attention to your property. Timers and motion activated lights are effective tools to deter trespassers and help alert a witness. It sends a strong message that you're security conscious.
As a general rule, your home should always have a consistent, lived-in look. Being aware of what makes a home an attractive target to criminals and following these simple guidelines can greatly reduce your chance of being a victim of burglary.
This information was obtained from the Home Security Audit Guide created by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services with contributions from the Peel Regional Police, Halton Regional Police, Ottawa Police Service, Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Crime Prevention Association of Toronto. To view the full guide click here.
Durham REALTORS®, We Work Where You Live. To contact a local Durham Association REALTOR® or to search for a weekend open house or listings in your neighbourhood, please visit www.DurhamRealEstate.org.
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