The Oil Drum

Criminals tend to gravitate to easier targets, especially if they appear juicy. It's the unlocked car vs the locked car, for instance. For the average criminal in our current state (Not post-peak) you want to dissuade criminals through a number of areas.

Your first priority is making your home appear as though you've taken steps to secure your home. Security (auto-on) lighting for at night, visible video cameras, and signage that shows that you have an alarm system in place help. No tresspassing signs will dissuade as well, and be sure to place "No soliciting" signs up on the property.

If a criminal is going to "scope" out your home beforehand, they may have someone else stop by to ask for money, try to sell you something, etc. Do not let them in the home, make it appear that you KNEW of their approach before they even rang the doorbell (even if you didn't), and let them know that they should leave IMMEDIATELY. If you appear threatening from their even stopping by to ask a question, their imagination can come up with ideas on how you would be if you caught them breaking in.

If you have multiple vehicles, swap out which vehicles you drive, so someone casing the place doesn't know if it's the same person leaving at XYZ time, making it uncertain if someone else is at the home. This is also another reason why you scare off solicitors, is that they may try to "sell" you something during the day to determine when you're actually home. If you park your vehicles in the garage, put cardboard, foil, or some other opaque material over the glass so a criminal cannot peek inside to see if someone is actually home or not.

Use deadbolts on your doors, and if there is glass that could be broken near the door, use double-deadbolts. (You have to use a key to get in or out.)

In regards to the alarm system, most alarm systems come with battery backups, and you can also get a cellphone connection as well, so that if the phone line is cut, the transmission still occurs. An alarm system will not prevent someone from making a quick dash inside and making off with a few items, but it does prevent them from trying to figure out where your safe is, etc. Police response times are slow for alarm systems. However, you can use the alarm system to alert you, as you likely can get yourself (or some friends/family that live nearby) to go take care of the problem until the police arrive.

All of these items are things that we use in our home. Certainly if someone wanted to break in, they COULD, but we tend to use items to deter criminals as opposed to physically stopping them. We infer to them a high level of danger both legally and physically if they were to break into our home. As a result, when we've had rashes of break-ins in the area, they've been at houses down the street, etc.

Of course, it's always good to be friends with your neighbors, and let your neighbors know who normally stops by at your house, so when they see a vehicle they do not recognize at your home when your car isn't there, they can investigate, or at least take note of the vehicle. If you're home one day that you normally work, and you notice someone going for their daily walk, go have a quick chat with them, make friends with them. They can be the neighborhood watch, as when you're on your daily walk, you've got nothing better to do than to take note of the houses you are passing. :)

I've ranted long enough. Haha.