What You Can Avoid By Using Northstar

Nobody wants their house to be broken into but it happens. One way to avoid being the victim of a break-in is by getting a home security system.

Here’s an example of what you don’t want to happen to you:

Someone broke into a 10th Avenue home on June 22 and got away with a grand.

The 46-year-old owner of the house, which is between 69th and 70th streets, told cops that he’d left his home around 4 pm and returned seven hours later to find the front door unlocked and $1,000 and a cellphone missing from inside.

Home Security When You’re Away

That annual vacation is often what gets you through the rest of the year. Anticipating a week at the beach, ski slopes or just relaxing away from all of your daily cares is sometimes the only thing you have to provide comfort and solace. However, while you are away, enjoying yourself and soaking up the rays, your home is at an increased risk of burglary. It’s a proven fact that thieves prefer to enter a home when it is unoccupied. What better time to do this than when the owner is on vacation? Of course, the addition of a home security system can help provide you with peace of mind, but there are many other steps you can take.

What can you do to help increase the security of your home and your belongings while you’re away? First, thing like a burglar! What does a potential thief look for first in a home being targeted? The answer – signs of occupancy. If the burglar sees signs of occupancy, they will usually bypass the home in favor of easier prey. Only the stupidest or most desperate thieves will break into a home while it is occupied (by those not sleeping, at least). This therefore begs the question, how do you make it seem as though your home is occupied while you’re not home?

You might be surprised at just how simple it can be to give your home the appearance of life within. Consult your neighbors (the trusted ones). You may find that they are willing to come over once each day and turn on lights (or turn off lights), as well as turning on the TV, stereo or other appliances. Random lights (don’t leave the same lights burning the entire time!) give your home the appearance that someone is actually within, using the lights. In addition, the sounds of the TV or the stereo add dimension to this illusion. If you do not have a trusted neighbor to do this for you, consult a family member or a close friend.

Another way to give your home the appearance of someone being home the entire time is to ensure that your mailbox remains empty and that no newspapers pile up in the driveway. An overflowing mailbox and a driveway cluttered with days of uncollected newspapers are sure signs to thieves that you are not home and they can enter without fear of being discovered. Have your neighbor, friend or family member pickup your mail and newspapers when they come over each day to change the lights and running appliances.

Of course, there are other ways to give your home the appearance of life. You can purchase loop audio CDs that have the sounds of conversations, the clink of glassware and plates, the sounds of laughter and other general homey sounds on them. These can be played through your computer system or through your stereo and can help ensure that any would-be thieves are given second thoughts about entering.

By: Carly Kosiele