<p>There’s an old proverb that I love, it says “Better a thousand times careful than once dead.” When it comes to safety, there is no bad investment. When we are in the refuge of our homes, we should be able to quell paranoia and embrace peace. However, times have changed. Even our homes can become a scene-of-the-crime. Our houses can easily be invaded by people who don’t exactly have our best interests at heart. In these desperate times, we must take chances. We must do all we can to protect our lives, we only have one anyway. So, here are some efficient and even cheap home security systems you can implement in your home to help you better sleep at night.</p>
<p><img src="https://medusamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/home-safety-600x398.jpg" alt="8 Home Security Advices From The Authorities That Are Often Ignored" width="600" height="398" class="aligncenter size-Correct wp-image-3727" /></p>
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<li><strong>Get A Guard Dog. No Not A Chihuahua.</strong></li>
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<p>Police often advise that residents get a guard dog. Guard dogs are akin to an alarm system, but to be effective they must be trained to be wary of strangers entering the vicinity of our house. They can also be good spare-key holders – you can do this if and only if, your dog is not a cutie-toy small breed canine. Strapping keys to your dog’s collar is practical, and unless burglars are Caesar Milan-ish, then they won’t dare grab it from your teeth-bared dog.</p>
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<li><strong>Stop Yakkin’ – Online or Offline</strong></li>
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<p>When you’re about to take a vacation there’s no need to broadcast. Some people have this horrible tendency of spilling the beans whenever they have conversations with a neighbor. Unless you are a hundred percent sure that this neighbor is trustworthy, don’t inform them of any upcoming trips to the Bahamas.</p>
<p>Exude that same behaviour online. Don’t yak on Facebook about any scheduled trips that’ll leave your house burglar’s-delight-empty. If burglars prowl the streets, what makes you think they don’t prowl the internet as well?</p>
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<li><strong>Don’t Forget To Turn Off Your Alarm System, Even If You’re Home</strong></li>
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<p>What people must come to terms with is that most burglaries happen in the daytime. According to an interview with a burglar, 90% of the houses that they break into have alarm systems but are turned off. Remember that burglars don’t just impulsively break into a house once they see a door open. No, it’s much creepier than that. They study their victim’s routines first and then pick a time when it is easier to just quickly grab ‘n go. So whether you’re in the house or not, daytime or night time, keep your alarm systems operating.</p>
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<li><strong>Go Bushwackin’</strong></li>
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<p>To avoid becoming a target, don’t make your house look like a target. What burglars like to see is an unkempt house. Shrubs and bushes are great hiding places. So, make sure that your garden is neat and tidy. Having an unkempt house is like saying to burglars I lean with my home security, it’s easy to break in. So, clean up a little bit and get rid of those bushes.</p>
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<li><strong>Have Good Outside Lighting</strong></li>
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<p>Good lighting is paramount. Burglars can get into a house with good lights, how much more a house that doesn’t have any lighting. You’re not Count Dracula, so go on, and pour lots of light inside and outside of your house. A well-lit house is risky for burglars, it repels them.</p>
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<li><strong>Install A Door Viewer</strong></li>
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<p>Have you ever seen the movie Law Abiding Citizen? If you have, then you realize how important it is to know who’s at the door before you answer it. All burglars have to do once you open the door is to push hard to knock you down and then the rest is history. If you don’t know who’s at the door, don’t open it. Converse with them through the door or window (if your window has grills) first, only after you’ve eliminated suspicion can you open.</p>
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<li><strong>Install Some Blinds</strong></li>
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<p>If you’ve got flashy hi-tech stuff in your house, don’t flash it. Make sure that people from outside can’t easily see the inside of your house. Don’t even leave empty boxes of recently purchase merchandise in front of your house. This is a ‘tell’ for burglars that you have more valuable stuff that they can steal. If you can do is to put blinds in your windows. It’s better than curtains because you can still open blinds but at an angle so that people from outside can’t see inside.</p>
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<li><strong>Protect Your Behind</strong></li>
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<p>It’s funny how people will always prioritize to lock the front door and forget the back entry. Most burglars don’t even use the front door when breaking in; they enter through the sliding glass door at the back. So, even if you are in the house, don’t forget to protect your behind. Keep doors locked. Stop complaining of having to stand up to open the door again and again – it’s exercise!</p>
<p><strong>Author Bio:</strong> +Lara Chamley is head of security at one of Melbourne&#8217;s luxury apartment villages. She conducts a yearly talk on home security and has recently started a business training women self-defense.</p>

8 Home Security Advices From The Authorities That Are Often Ignored
