iStock_000012963695Large As summer continues to heat up, so does criminal and burglar activity. Vacations, outdoor activities, and open windows give criminals the opportunities they need to break into your home. Don’t let criminals take advantage of you and your family. Along with a quality security system, a few simple housekeeping tasks can help prevent your home from being targeted for burglary.

Criminals will use anything they can to get into a home. Keep your ladders and tools stored away and locked up. Whether it’s a shovel or a screwdriver, a criminal may use anything handy to get inside your home, or worse, if they are confronted by someone.

Always keep windows, doors locked and secured. A deadbolt can be effective in stopping a burglar from going through the front door, but your windows can be easy entry points if left opened or unlocked. Window sensors or glass breaks detectors can help stop a burglar from entering your home via the windows. Pet doors can allow burglars to slip into your home or reach in to unlock the door. When not being used, keep the pet door locked and secured.

A well-kept and neat lawn shows the would-be burglar that your home is active. Criminals won’t often target an occupied household. Overgrown bushes and trees give a criminal places to hide. Keep them trimmed. Motion sensor flood lights can help scare away thieves, who do not want to be seen.

Mail and newspapers should always be picked up. A pile of newspapers on the front porch tells burglars that you are not home. If you do go away, have a close friend or family member that you trust collect your mail and newspapers. You can have the post office hold mail for you if you go on vacation for up to 30 days.

Do not post your vacation on social media until you return. Posting pictures can wait. Telling everyone on the internet that you are not home notifies potential thieves of an easy target, especially when you announce that you are going away for a while.

Still, the best defense is a good offense.  Keep your home and your family safe from burglars today with a fully integrated, monitored video and alarm system from Video Surveillance Corp. Call us at (718) 258-1310. When you think of security, think of Video Surveillance Corporation. It’s security you can see.