Homeowner Commonsense: Obvious Ways to Protect Against Theft

September 6, 2006 | By: | Comments (1) | Posted in: Homeowners

I am shocked and amazed when I walk around my suburban neighborhood. Garage doors left wide open without a homeowner in sight. Bikes are left in yards unattended too. I wonder, “Why would someone invite one to steal?” Maybe it’s naiveté. Maybe they are among the many people who subscribe to “it won’t happen to me.” Or, maybe it’s just that they have never been a victim of theft.

My family learned the hard way about theft. I was 10 years old, when my family sat down for a regular evening meal. It was 6 o’clock in the evening and still sunny outside. Our garage door was open. We suddenly heard noise coming from the garage. My dad opened the door to see a stranger walking off with our lawnmower. Naturally, he chased him down the street and got the lawnmower back. The thief got away. However, we learned a valuable lesson: if you’re not out front, close your garage.

Another time, my brother had his bike stolen from the front yard. This was after my parents “hid” the bike to make him think it had been stolen. I guess he never really learned. Years later, my brother left his snowboard, CDs and radio in his car overnight. Needless to say, they were gone the next day, and my brother was left to clean up the shattered glass.

Now at this point, you might ask, “Where in the world did I grow up?!” It was just an average suburban California city. In each example though, theft was virtually invited.

As a homeowner, it is important to practice commonsense to protect yourself:

• Do not leave your garage door open when you’re not around
• Lock your front door even when you’re home
• Encourage your children to pick up their toys and bikes in the front yard
• Keep windows and sliding glass doors locked, especially at night
• Do not leave valuable items in your car

The list can go on and on. The bottom line is to use common sense when it comes to protecting your home and valuables.

Do you have a commonsense suggestion or tip?

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