Tips for Making Your Home Look Occupied to Deter Burglars

Whether you’re just stepping out for the evening, enjoying a weekend getaway or going away for a well-deserved holiday, you’ll want to know that your home is safe and secure while it’s unoccupied. Thieves like to take the path of least resistance in most cases, so burglars tend to target houses where they’re sure nobody is home and they won’t get caught or interrupted.
Knowing this, before you leave home, you’ll want to establish ways to make the place look occupied to deter burglars, vandals or anyone else with nefarious ideas in mind. Let’s take a look at some things you can do to achieve this and keep your home and possessions safe in your absence.

Lighting is Very Effective as a Deterrent

While break-ins can certainly take place during daylight hours, most often thieves prefer to operate under the cover of darkness, so they go undetected. One of the most effective ways to make your home look occupied while you’re absent is lighting, both internal and external.
Outdoors, you could have sensor lights installed that come on when movement is detected. A spotlight suddenly blazing out over the yard is generally enough to send a burglar running fast in the opposite direction. You could also install solar lighting around the front and backyards. Choose lights that are designed to sense when the sun goes down and will switch on automatically and turn off again at dawn.
Having outdoor lighting is just one step in the lighting plan. To make your home appear occupied, you’ll want some lights to switch on inside the house as well. This can be achieved with timers set to switch on certain lights at specified times. You might even hook up a radio to a timer, so there is also some noise each evening and even during the daytime.

Draw the Blinds or Curtains

To ensure burglars can’t see into your home at night and gain a better idea of whether anyone is actually there or not, make sure all of the blinds and curtains are closed before you leave. This will keep thieves guessing and add an air of uncertainty.

Tell the Neighbours

If you know your neighbours and you get on well with them and trust them, let them know about your plans and that you’ll be away for a specified period of time. Not only will neighbours keep an eye on your home, but they can also collect your mail and any deliveries that may be left at your front door.
Things like an overflowing mailbox is a definite indicator to a burglar casing a neighbourhood that nobody is home. Stuff like junk mail can build up very quickly. Your neighbour can ensure that mail, deliveries and newspapers are collected daily so your house appears occupied.

Arrange to Have the Lawn Mowed

Another giveaway that nobody’s home is an overgrown lawn, especially during the summer months when grass grows rapidly. If you’re going to be away for several weeks, arrange to have the grass cut about midway through your absence and have the lawn mowed and gardens tended to within days before your departure.

CCTV Cameras

While having cameras installed at various points on the exterior of your home doesn’t let a burglar know whether anyone is home or not, CCTV cameras are a fantastic deterrent to thieves and vandals. Nobody wants to have their image caught on camera and recorded, or feel they are having their every move monitored in real time. CCTV cameras are one of your best defences.

Install a Video Doorbell

Video doorbells are a fantastic addition to your home security system and come in handy when you’re at home and also when you’re away. You see, you can have your video doorbell interact with someone even when you’re not there, giving the impression that somebody is home.

Avoid Posting on Social Media While You’re Away

In these modern times, it’s very tempting to post regular updates about your holiday on social media channels. Avoid doing this if you can as anyone who might be monitoring your home as a possible target for burglary might see your posts and therefore know that nobody is home.
Unfortunately, sometimes thieves are known to the victim and might even be followers or friends on social media. Therefore, save your posts about your holiday until you are home again.

Have Friends Drop By Randomly

Have Friends Drop By Randomly Give a trusted friend a key. They can water your plants, collect the mail, open and close curtains and generally make the place appear occupied. If anyone is casing the area, they’ll be put off by seeing people in and around your home.

Alert Your Security Company

Arrange with your security company to monitor your home while you’re away. This may include remote monitoring, as well as having a mobile security patrol check on your house periodically. The mere fact that a security guard is roaming the area at random intervals can often be enough to deter a burglar.

Trust Smart Security to Make Your Home Secure

Smart Security, your home security systems specialist in Perth, can install CCTV cameras, alarm systems, security lighting and much more. We can even set your home up as a smart home, which also allows you to control your home security system even when you’re not there. Give us a call today and discover how we can make your home secure, even when you’re enjoying a holiday.