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but what are the statistics for home invasion? And are they really that bad? Over 2.
2 Million robberies occur every year in the United States according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
That's 2,200,000 homes or businesses! What is the loss from these burglaries? $4.
6 Billion dollars in loss.
Whole lotta dough there.
70.
3% of all burglaries are at residential properties.
This means that our homes and condos have the biggest risk of the bad guys invading our homes.
So, now that we know that there is a real reason to have some fear of burglary, what are these 3 ways to avoid joining the 2.
2 million victims of home invasion? 1) Get a guard dog.
Here are the pros and cons of having a dog.
PROs: Love- a dog can give you love like no other electronic device can.
Secondly, a dog can let you know if someone is approaching your home, which gives you some advance warning.
CONs: You can't turn a dog off.
If they want to bark, they bark...
even if it's 2 am, and there's no burglar.
Also, a bad guy can distract a guard dog (filet mignon little puppy?) If you decide that a doggie is not worth the hassle, buying a "Beware of Dog" or "Alarm System" sign at Home Depot is another option- You can fake it without the upkeep requirements.
Because sometimes the sign is enough to make the robbers choose another target.
2) Adjust your exterior.
Bad guys don't want to be seen.
They want to get into your house, remove your valuables as quickly as possible, and then escape...
all without being detected.
Pretty common sense stuff right? What isn't common sense is that your exterior, your fences, lighting, and landscaping all play a part in this factor.
You can maximize your exterior so that your home is less likely to be a target.
-Check your backyard; it's the easiest point of entry for the burglar, so you should have a fence or heavy shrub surrounding it so that the bad guys can't get in and out easily.
-Look at the front of your home from the street.
Do bushes or trees make it easy for someone to get to the front door without being seen? Do you lack lighting, making it easy for an intruder to slip through the shadows and through your windows or door? These two ideas to increase your probability of suffering a home invasion are just a beginning for you in the journey to becoming more security minded.
Knowing how to stop break ins isn't hard, and shouldn't be an all consuming mission either.
Making small changes to your daily mindset can pay big dividends in home invasion defense.
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