Millions of American homes are expected to be burglarized this year, yet 75% of homes don’t have a security system. Even more concerning, statistics reveal that 27% of the time, people are home during the burglary. It’s impossible to tell what a burglar will do if the resident is home at the time of the burglary, or if they walk in during the burglary. Though most burglars’ primary motive is to steal from the homeowner, a burglary can turn violent. For this reason, it is important for people to take necessary precautions to prevent home invasions.
Get an Alarm
Unless you’re in a maximum security bunker, it’s possible that someone could get into your home. Assuming that a person was very determined, they could get into your home if they really, really wanted to. While not every person would be able to pick a lock and quietly sneak into your home, almost anyone could pick up a rock and smash a window. And an especially determined person may do just that. Though an alarm won’t necessarily prevent a person from entering your home, an alarm can alert you to the fact that a person has entered your home. Not only can an alarm alert you, it can also dial the police for you. In some cases, the alarm going off is enough to scare the intruder away. Sometimes, even seeing signs for the alarm is enough to deter potential intruders.
Be Careful with Online Dating
If you’re meeting someone online, it’s important to take precautions to ensure your safety. Always let someone know that you’re going on a date. Tell them where you’re going, when you’ll be back, and any information you know about the person you’re going out with. Always meet at a public place on a first date. Though having someone pick you up from your house may be romantic, getting in the car with someone you don’t know isn’t safe. Furthermore, you may decide that you do not want this person to have your address. Until you’re confident that the person you’re dating is safe, refrain from allowing them inside your house, and refrain from going over to their place.
Check Your Locks and Windows
Obviously, you should lock your doors. However, if you just purchased a home, it may be a good idea to rekey your home. If you’re renting a home or apartment, you may want to ask your landlord when the apartment was rekeyed. If the landlord has not rekeyed the apartment since the last tenant moved out, you may ask them if they’ll rekey the apartment. Make sure your windows are locked. Not all windows have locks that work. If you realize that your window’s lock doesn’t work, you can use a stick to prevent the window from opening until you get a lock. Also, it’s much easier to see into a house during the night. If you are living alone, make sure to always keep your windows covered at night. If you have valuables, it would be a good idea to make sure that they cannot be seen through a window.
Be Careful with What You Post Online
Many social media apps are eager for their users to share location information. However, this may not always be the best idea. Though you can tweak your privacy settings on your profile, you can’t ever be completely sure who’s viewing your profiles. In the age of the internet, it isn’t all that difficult to track people down. At this point, it’s difficult to even come up with a definitive list of what can safely be shared and what cannot. However, it may be a good idea to refrain from sharing photos that may enable others to find your address, your place of work, or other identifying information.
Manage Your Keys
Don’t leave a key under the mat, or under any other item. So many people are leaving spare keys under rocks or mats that many intruders check those first before using other methods of breaking and entering. It’s also a good idea to keep track of who has a set of your keys. If you give a set of keys to a significant other, if you break up, it’s important that they return those immediately. If they refuse, you may need to change the locks or request that your landlord has the place rekeyed. If you lose your keys, or they suddenly go missing, you may also want to have the locks changed or request that the place be rekeyed.
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At Moxie Law Group, our mission is to fight for the injured with determination, character, and nerve, while promoting safety and preventing injury through educational resources. If you have been injured and you need legal representation, contact Moxie Law Group today for a free consultation.
