Four Unusual Signs That Your Home Security Is Highly Vulnerable

When you think about home security, expensive gadgets, reinforced structures, and home fortification usually come to mind. However, these are not what would be criminals are looking for when scoping out potential residential or commercial targets.

This article will look at some simple and unusual security measures that you may have yet to consider, many of them costing minimal amounts to invest in or, better yet, are completely free. Read on to learn more.  

1. Weak front door security

It may surprise you that one of the most common breach points in your home is the front door. It is estimated that over 30% of burglaries occur through unlocked or poorly secured doors.

A majority of home burglaries are committed between 6 am and 6 pm, as most homes are unoccupied at these times. It is also easier to disguise yourself as an unassuming salesperson or courier in these times rather than a black-clad balaclava criminal at night.

While security doors and deadlocks are not always the cheapest security devices, they are well worth the investment, protecting your loved ones and assets more effectively. However, if you currently cannot afford to invest in either of these security utilities, then good habits can help. 

For example, habitually ensure your doors and windows are locked when leaving home. Also, consider leaving indications your home may be occupied, like radios and lights.

Senior citizens are the most likely to have outdated security doors and utilities, so if you have aging parents or neighbors, share this information with them and possibly suggest they upgrade their insurance from standard policies to home insurance for seniors.

2. Porch pirates

With online shopping at an all-time high, porch front theft has become a major issue, with millions of dollars in merchandise stolen yearly. 

These clever thieves have now candidly been called “porch pirates,” who spend time figuring out delivery hot spots and courier routes and work on obtaining other sources of delivery data to maximize their illegal enterprises.

Many clever online DIY home security gurus have shared their creative tips for making safe deposit boxes and self-locking parcel dumping solutions to keep their deliveries more secure.

Smart technology and IoT devices have become a lot more affordable, especially smart locks and smart doorbells. These devices allow you to see and speak to delivery drivers in real time. They will also enable you to unlock and lock your doors remotely from your smartphone or remote device—the ultimate security solution to the porch pirate problem.

3. Personal items left in cars

So you have addressed all possible security breaches in your home, but what about your car? Personal data is as valuable to today’s scammers as your assets are to a thief.

While you may not be worried about the small change in your vehicle, many other items commonly left in cars are even more valuable to potential thieves and scammers, including:

• Work access codes and cards
• Personal information
• Medical certificates and data
• Spare house keys
• Unopened mail
• School and university information
• and more

One of the most common items left in a vehicle that can result in a home breach is garage door openers, so either keep them on your car keys or have a secure hiding place indoors that keeps your vehicles and other assets safe.

4. Signs of inactivity

Do you regularly go away for business? Does your family frequently take holidays or have a weekend getaway destination? Inactivity is one of the main signs an opportunistic burglar looks for in a vulnerable home.

Some of the main signs that give away your home is vulnerable and occupied for an extended period include:

• Bins left out for days on end
• No changes in light functions for several days
• No curtain movement throughout the day
• Unkept or overgrown gardens
• Mail pilling up in the letterbox

If you are going away for a few days or longer, it might help to get a home security safe, get a neighbor or family member to collect mail and take your bins in, ensure you clean your garden before heading off, or hire a contractor to clean up while you are gone.

Think forward when it comes to your home security

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