Best way to secure a home?

Seeking Advice
1

What’s the best way to keep a house from attracting unwanted attention?

I already have cameras, motion-activated lights, and an alarm system. Planning to upgrade my cameras and add more lights.

EDIT: I also have window bars due to a break-in attempt six months ago.

I plan on building a privacy fence around the house soon.

A dog is not an option for several reasons.

2

Keep the area well-lit at night. A privacy fence is great for keeping people from looking in, but it can also block neighbors from seeing if something shady is happening.

3

Nicolas said:
Keep the area well-lit at night. A privacy fence is great for keeping people from looking in, but it can also block neighbors from seeing if something shady is happening.

Fair point. Right now, people can see straight into my house if the blinds are up, and I hate it. The fence will at least give me privacy and help hide my car. Plus, I can mount more lights and cameras on it.

4

Thieves often return months later to steal newly replaced items. You’ve got:

  1. Window bars – good.
  2. Security lights – good.
  3. Cameras – useful for seeing what happened, but not for stopping it.
  4. Alarm system – good deterrent.
  5. Privacy fence – helps with hiding things but also gives thieves cover.

Have you reinforced your door frame with a stronger metal plate for the deadbolt?

Do you have alarm signs and window stickers?

You’ve done a lot already. If someone still tries to break in after all this, it’s probably personal, and you might want to consider moving.

5

@Vicente
Nothing was stolen during the break-in attempt because the alarm scared them off.

I have:

  • Cameras inside and outside, running 24/7.
  • Motion-activated floodlights.
  • Outdoor alarms that trigger when detecting a person.
  • A full alarm system with sensors.
  • Multiple locks on all doors and windows.
  • Bars on the windows.
  • Signs warning about the alarm and cameras.
  • A fence going up soon to block visibility into my home and hide my car.
  • Lights on timers to make it look like someone is always home.
6

@Roy
What kind of outdoor alarms do you have? Brand/model?

7

Jefferson said:
@Roy
What kind of outdoor alarms do you have? Brand/model?

It’s part of my camera system. Most outdoor cameras have a feature that detects human-like figures and triggers an alarm.

8

Get some blue LED lights for the windows. They sell them on Amazon.

9

LyamGenesis said:
Get some blue LED lights for the windows. They sell them on Amazon.

What’s the purpose of that?

10

Noel said:

LyamGenesis said:
Get some blue LED lights for the windows. They sell them on Amazon.

What’s the purpose of that?

B L U E

11

Noel said:
Big dog.

I mentioned in the post that a dog isn’t an option.

12

Roy said:

Noel said:
Big dog.

I mentioned in the post that a dog isn’t an option.

Then get a ‘Beware of Dog’ sign. Same deterrent.

13

Blinds for the windows, keep the garage door closed unless actively using it, clear sight lines around the house by trimming vegetation, scrub your online data from public records, and remove photos of your home from real estate sites and social media.

14

Too much obvious security can actually attract attention. Make some security features visible, but keep others subtle.