Tip #1:
Survey your home, thinking like a would-be burglar. Try to assess things that are a threat to your time, audibility and visibility. Are there windows hidden by shrubs? Are there windows out of view from the neighbors? Are there doors or windows that back onto a ravine, where the criminal could easily exit? Are there valuables visible to anyone who might look in your windows? What doors and windows are the softest targets? If someone were to break a door or window, is it likely that it would not be heard by a neighbor? Are there ladders in your driveway or backyard that a criminal could use to access a vulnerable second floor window?
Tip #2:
Have a look at the locks on your doors, the length of the screws used to secure the hinges, and the screws used in the striker plates that the deadbolts rest in. You do have deadbolts on your doors, don’t you? Quite often the screws uses are so short that they are really useless. For example, the place I am renting now is a small house. When I moved in, I found that the screws holding the deadbolt striker plate into the door frame were only 1/4″ long, and the ones used to secure the door hinges were actually 1/2″ long. My 70 year old mum could likely kick in the door! Needless to say, I replaced them with 3″ screws.
Tip #3:
Securing the door frames themselves makes good sense. Mostly they are made of just cheap pine wood, and the force of a strong kick can easily split the frame. It is a good idea to put some of those three inch screws right into the door frame at 6 inch intervals as well. If you live in a high risk area, perhaps consider using a metal brace with staggered screw holes which is about 8-12″ long, 1/8″ thick, and 1 1/2″ wide, screwed right onto the frame itself. That frame, isn’t going anywhere!
Tip #4:
Consider the landscape around your home. Do shrubs and bushes conceal view of the doors and windows? If you have a small forest growing on your lawn, you are at a higher risk, as the foliage offers the burglar a measurable degree of concealment. Consider trimming the bushes back somewhat or instead taking extra steps to fortify your doors and windows.
Tip #5:
Doors and locks themselves should be of the highest quality. All exterior doors should be solid, metal core doors and at all costs, you should avoid buying those ornamental, decorative doors with the glass inserts. Those glass inserts, although they look nice, are usually just held in place with PVC vinyl. Use a quality deadbolt with a one inch bolt, secure the striker plate with four, three inch screws, and then install a doorway peephole viewer. Most burglars enter through the back doors, especially the ones with glass in them. Consider putting metal window grills over the glass.
