How to Deter Burglars

Last Updated: August 15, 2022 References

Knowing that your home is safe and secure can provide you and your family some peace of mind. A security system can help protect your home in the case of a burglary, but there are also things you can do to deter burglars from even attempting to break into your home in the first place. We've compiled some of the most effective burglar deterrents that you can try out around your property to help keep your belongings safe.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making Your Home a Less Desirable Target

1
Think like a burglar. A burglar will want as much time alone and undisturbed in your house as possible. This will allow them to take what they want without being caught. You can prevent your home from being targeted by burglars by getting into a burglar mindset, which will help you shore up weak points in your home protection. Think like a burglar by asking yourself:
- "How would I break into my home if I had to? Would this be obvious to someone else? How can I make it less obvious/easy to break in to?"
- "Is my home easy to view by other people? Would other people see a person breaking into my home from the road? How can I make my home more visible?"
- "Does my home look unoccupied? How can I make my home look more occupied both when I'm away and at home?"^{[1]
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2
Know the main routes of burglar ingress. Certain avenues into your house are more popular among burglars. These can sometimes be opposite what you might expect, but when breaking into your home, the burglar will try to appear natural, as though he belongs there or has permission to enter your home. This makes the following entrances especially vulnerable to break-ins:
- Front door
- Ground floor windows
- Side/back doors^{[2]
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3
Reinforce entrances to your home visibly. Obvious reinforcements will make your home a less desirable target. Burglars will be able to tell at a glance whether or not a door into your home is hollow core, which can be kicked down easily, or insulated metal, which can withstand greater punishment.^{[3]
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- Use dowels or rods as security bars. Lay these along the inside track of sliding doors and horizontally sliding windows to prevent being forced open.
- Install reinforced locks on exterior doors.
- Install a security door, or some other sturdy variety, like a solid core door.
4
Retrieve post as soon as you return home. The accumulation of mail at your front door, letterbox or mailbox could indicate to a burglar that you're on vacation and that your home is ripe for robbing. Packages, too, even those that are not valuable, can send potential burglars a signal that your home is infrequently occupied if left unattended.^{[4]
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5
Post signs to indicate extra security. This is a good tactic even if you don't have a security system or a dog. Burglars will frequently avoid the risk of a guard dog or professional security system. "Beware of The Dog" signs can be placed at the entrance of your home or in your front yard, while imitation security system stickers should be stuck to the main entrance and exit of your home.^{[5]
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- "Beware of The Dog" signs can be bought at most hardware stores but can also be purchased online.
- Imitation security system stickers might be found at a hardware store, home security store, spy/surveillance shop, or online.
6
Maintain the landscaping of your property. Lawn that is patchy or excessively long can indicate to potential burglars that you are away and make your home vulnerable. Poorly maintained shrubs, bushes, and trees, on the other hand, can provide burglars with places to hide while breaking into your home.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.} Keep your yard well maintained to prevent burglars from receiving break-in opportunities.^{[7]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Deterring Burglars with Physical Measures

1
Get a dog. If a burglar approaches your home and hears a dog barking, they're more likely to move on to the next house—not just because of the sound, but also because of the potential of being bitten.^{[8]
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Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.} Even small dogs can make a home less desirable to a burglar. Some popular dog breeds for you to consider include:^{[9]
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- Bull mastiff
- Doberman
- German shepherd
- Rottweiler^{[10]
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  American Kennel Club
  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
  Go to source}
2
Hide valuables from sight. New television sets, expensive (and highly portable) laptop computers, jewelry, and other valuables can be extra tempting to prowling burglars. Don't leave these sitting out in the open. To prevent undue attention to your things, you might:
- Put up curtains or blinds to make it more difficult for burglars to peep inside your home.
- Store expensive outdoor items, like bicycles and barbecues, in a storage unit.
- Tint your windows.
- Don't keep valuables in your car, either.^{[11]
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  Saul Jaeger, MS
  Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
  Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.}
3
Plant thorny bushes and shrubs strategically. Many thorn bushes, like roses, have beautiful flowers that can add to the beauty of your house even while protecting it. Thorny bushes, shrubs, and trees that are planted outside windows will make it more difficult for burglars to enter using these access points. A few options for good bushes include:^{[12]
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- Barberry
- Pyracantha
- Roses
4
Purchase and make use of lighting timers. These can be bought at most hardware stores and are excellent, cost-efficient ways of making your home look occupied and undesirable to burglars. If you spend most of your day at work, you might set a timer to turn on lights or a TV during lunchtime.
- Motion sensor lights at the main doors of your house are another affordable prevention measure you might employ.^{[13]
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  Asher Smiley
  Martial Arts Instructor
  Expert Interview. 30 July 2019.}
- Be sure to set a timer before going on extended trips or a vacation.^{[14]
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- If you don't have a timer, keep your exterior lights on so the outside of your home is lit up.^{[15]
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  Saul Jaeger, MS
  Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
  Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.}
5
Put in a real or imitation security system. Professional security systems offer many advantages to home protection, often providing services like monitoring and improved police response. But even if a professional grade system is out of your price range, you can still purchase fake security cameras from your local hardware or home security store to achieve a similar effect.^{[16]
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- A camera with a blinking light is a great deterrent, even if it isn't hooked up.^{[17]
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  Saul Jaeger, MS
  Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
  Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.}
- When setting up imitation cameras, be sure you do so convincingly. Connect the camera to an outlet even if it doesn't need power and arrange other wires to appear connected to the inside of your home.
6
Add security bars outside your windows. Ground floor windows are the most likely to be used by burglars, so unless you live in a very rough neighborhood, it's unlikely that you'll need to install bars higher than the first storey. Security bars that you can attach to the outside of your windows can be bought at most hardware stores, and are a sturdy, high visibility deterrent.
- Second storey windows and doors are responsible for approximately 2% of burglaries, and usually only need to be secured with regular measures.^{[18]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Establishing Burglary Prevention Habits

1
Keep your vacations private on social media. It's not likely that you have to be cautious about your Facebook friends breaking into your home, but information about your trip can travel quickly among acquaintances and the friends of friends. These individuals, who you may not know well or trust, could see your online post about your vacation and think it a prime opportunity to make some easy money by stealing from your home while you are away.
2
Cancel subscriptions while away from home. Or you could always arrange for a trusted neighbor to collect your mail while you are away. In either case, taking steps to ensure newspapers, mail, or magazine subscriptions don't pile up on your doorstep will make it less obvious to burglars that you're not home. If you get milk delivered, don't forget to cancel it!
3
Store garbage in your garage or an enclosed area. Professional burglars often observe a neighborhood or a handful of likely targets to determine the rhythm of its occupants. This informs the burglar of the best time to break in. Many of your daily habits can be inferred from the trash you produce, so you should limit the information you provide burglars by limiting access to your trash.^{[19]
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- If a garage is not available, you might build a small structure to store your garbage cans with 2x4 pieces of wood, thick gauge chicken wire, hinges, and a latch. You can then lock your garbage cans in your enclosure to prevent snooping.
4
Join, or start, a neighborhood watch. Regular patrols will be more likely to notice strange cars or people that don't belong in your neighborhood. This can also cut down on the opportunities burglars have to evaluate your house for future theft.
- Inquire with your neighborhood association or homeowner's association to see if your community has a neighborhood watch program already in place.
- Check out some tips on how to form your own neighborhood watch.
5
Inspect your property for signs of a break in regularly. Take a stroll around your property every other week or so and check that all your security measures are in place and untampered with. Take note of strange scratches around locks and latches, strange footsteps in flowerbeds, and anything else that might suggest you have an unwanted visitor poking around your property.

Expert Q&A

Question

Can having a dog be my main security measure?

Asher Smiley
Self Defense Trainer
Asher Smiley is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Krav Maga Revolution in Petaluma, California. Asher has earned a Tier 1 Instructor Certification in the American Krav Maga system. In 2017, he trained with the International Kapap Federation Combat Krav Maga International, completing their 7 day tactical seminar and the 8 day CKMI instructor course.

Asher Smiley

Self Defense Trainer

Expert Answer

A barking dog may deter some criminals by drawing attention to their presence. However, unless you know that your dog is aggressive towards people, don't expect it to protect your home. In most cases, the dog will be scared and run away.
Question

How can I protect my home from break ins?

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department (MVPD). Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic unit’s sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center (dispatch) and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018.

Saul Jaeger, MS

Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department

Expert Answer

Criminals don't want to work any harder than they have to, so make it as difficult as possible. Keep lights on that light up the outside of your house. A dog that barks is a good thing, as well. Leave your car in the driveway instead of the garage. You can even put up fake cameras with blinking lights.

Warnings

Sharp objects inside or outside your property can become a liability. Some robbers and attempted robbers have won lawsuits when tripping/impaling/falling on and into implements intended to deter burglars.

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