You want to prepare for any eventuality, which means being responsible for your home security. Proactively protecting your home is the only way to be confident about your safety.
Secure Your Home’s Entry Points
Burglars usually try your front door before moving to other potential entry points. So, don’t believe you’re safe if you’ve got a front door security gate, camera and outdoor lighting keeping the welcome mat company. Protect your other entry points adequately, too. As a prepper committed to surviving without the assistance of others, there are several ways to deter would-be burglars or home invaders psychologically.
1. Security Cameras
Putting security cameras around your house can be pricey, but they substantially deter would-be burglars. Even if the cameras are visible to intruders but not functional, they provide a psychological trigger. Nobody wants to run the risk of being recorded when they’re breaking the law, so seeing cameras aiming down at them can prompt a hasty retreat.
If you have a recording facility and night vision security features, you can identify trespassers, even if they later decide your home is the wrong one to enter. Having a perpetrator on film assists your neighbors in identifying a criminal if their house gets broken into on the same night.
2. Security Gates and Burglar Bars
Security gates on your front and rear entrances may make your home look like Fort Knox, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Burglar bars on all your windows might not give your home the most aesthetic appeal, but you don’t want to welcome intruders into your living room or — even worse — your bedroom.
If you live in a high-crime neighborhood or area, consider your and your family’s safety before considering how appealing your property looks to passers-by. Home security is your responsibility above anybody else’s, so you must prioritize it over aesthetics.
3. Alarm System
Most home burglars enter through open doors and windows, with forcing them open their next best option. Visible alarm sensors on the door and window frames go a long way to deter intruders.
Burglaries are often impulsive — the perpetrators want to be in and out of a home with minimal effort. Even if no alarm is connected, seeing them makes someone think twice about prying an entrance open. Installing a home alarm system is also more affordable without armed response contracts and fitting internal sensors.
A perimeter alarm that operates like a virtual tripwire is a decent option. If somebody scales your boundary and triggers it, a loud siren will psychologically deter them from moving further. You’ll also have additional time to assess the threat, with ample opportunity to bug out or stay put and prepare.
With a simple sensor system that triggers a siren when intruders attempt to access your home through a door or window, you won’t have the same early warning, but it may be enough to scare them away. Either way, it can give you a psychological advantage over a home invader. If you’re not averse to armed reaction or employing an alarm company, place its signage on your property’s perimeter as an extra deterrent.
Being at home will not stop some opportunistic thieves, so locking up when you settle in for the night discourages possible burglary and violent crime. As an extra psychological deterrent, ensure your doors and windows are solid and secure so someone can’t easily maneuver them, kick them off hinges, or splinter them with the slightest force. Strong and durable entryways make burglars think twice, especially if they have sensors attached.
4. Smart Doorbell Cameras
You now know most intruders enter homes through the front door or windows. They’ll try other entry points if they can’t gain access there. If you install a smart doorbell camera, you can surveil and — with an included video capability — record any burglar trying to break in through your front door. Some smart doorbell cameras also announce themselves to visitors when they activate them, which can psych out unwanted ones to beat a hasty retreat.
A smart camera links to your smartphone, and its app alerts you when somebody approaches your door while you’re not home. Pushing a button in the app lets you record the unwanted visitor and their activities. Even if they can’t gain access through your front door, you’ll have them on film to report to the authorities.
5. Exterior Lighting
Motion-activated floodlights near your entrances and garage doors will turn on when a potential intruder approaches, discouraging further dishonorable intentions. By only doing so when there’s movement, they can warn you something untoward might be happening outside. LED bulbs save you energy and light up an area well enough to see potential troublemakers.
Even without motion sensors, decent outside lighting significantly deters trespassers with criminal intent. Burglars prefer to operate in the shadows, so a well-lit approach might mean they choose an easier target. Off-grid lighting options include battery and solar-powered outdoor lights that switch on automatically at dusk, with batteries that recharge in sunlight.
Secure Your Perimeter and Grounds
Erecting a large, thick wall around your property restricts visibility into your home, but some people believe doing so tempts criminals. Either way, it isn’t enough on its own — scaling it means direct access to your home for those determined enough to do so. Put some additional steps in place to deal with persistent burglar types.
6. Perimeter Security
The solid boundary wall will restrict visibility, which has positive or negative connotations depending on where you live. If you have neighbors nearby, it may be better to allow some visibility to your home, as this could deter burglars who fear being spotted. If you live in a remote location, it’s better if robbers can’t watch your property.
Property owners with a point of entry far from their houses should consider a video camera at the gate to identify visitors. No person with bad intentions wants to be on camera, so this will psychologically deter many criminals from attempting entry.
If you choose the high wall option and do not oppose your home looking like a military base, you could run razor tape or barbed wire along the top of your wall as an additional deterrent. Unprepared burglars don’t relish fighting with sharp steel and ending up cut to ribbons. Alternatively, go the more natural route and plant a thorny thicket around the perimeter, deterring anyone from wanting to scale the wall.
Whether you have a fence or a wall, adding neighborhood watch signs around your perimeter tells intruders somebody could be watching them. Knowing this may deter them and lead them to move somewhere with fewer security elements.
7. Landscaping
Along the same lines as your thorny wall scrub, you’d do well to pay attention to your yard landscaping. A few rose bushes in the flower beds around your house may deter less intrepid burglars, but a better idea would be some more durable thorned bushes in beds close to your windows.
You may love that large tree that overhangs your house, but consider it from your home security perspective. An adventurous burglar could gain roof or first-floor access if it’s too close. At least cut back or remove any branches that make this possible.
Choose open spaces between your boundary wall and your house so intruders can’t seek cover as they attempt to span the distance. Removing potential hiding spots means your burglar is more exposed and will feel more vulnerable. Add lighting on well-positioned poles to discourage further attempts to cross your yard if necessary.
Also, consider running a loose gravel border around your home. It looks good and warns you if somebody’s moving outside your windows in the dark. That evident shoe-on-gravel noise on a quiet night may deter a burglar from going further, even without you noticing.
8. Alarm and Defense Dogs
Many people consider dogs man’s best friend. Not only will your family pet turn into a hound from hell if somebody threatens you or your loved ones, but it also provides an excellent robber deterrent.
Getting a few small lapdogs to keep indoors is a good psychological obstacle to inexperienced burglars, as they tend to raise a ruckus when anybody approaches. This forewarning means you have time to take further steps to prevent unwanted access. Even if you’re away, your lapdogs can prevent break-ins, as burglars don’t want unwanted attention and might hastily depart the scene.
Small dogs are a deterrent, but ultimately, you want to combine their efforts by also owning larger active defense breeds for outside. So, get your family one or more defense dogs, especially if you live in an environment with vast expanses of yard area to cover. If you have a pair or more of Rottweilers, Doberman Pincers or German Shepherds relentlessly guarding your exterior domain, it’s less likely you’ll have intruders scaling your walls or fences.
These breeds’ active defense presence will be even more effective if you highlight it with bold signs along your boundary line. If you haven’t found your perfect watchdogs yet, put the signs up anyway. Even a brave burglar may think twice about entering.
Especially if you have a young family, ensure any active defense dogs you own get proper training to differentiate between friend and foe. If a friend happens to break through your perimeter under cover of darkness early on a Sunday morning, though, they shouldn’t expect this differentiation to apply.
A Last Burglary Deterrent
A U.S. Department of Justice study found the victim knew the offender in 30% of all U.S. burglaries. This statistic highlights the need to be cautious about who you trust, as criminals come in all shapes and forms.
9. Travel Plans and Privacy
As a prepper, you might already be naturally suspicious. This is a decent quality for your security, as you’ll be more aware if somebody is probing you about your movements.
Only divulge your travel plans and dates to those you intimately trust. Many travelers have arrived home to find their homes burgled, which might be coincidental but could well be due to insider knowledge. If somebody pushes you to reveal information, supply fabricated dates and times if necessary.
Leaving your house empty while traveling is a drawcard for any burglar. The more you can maintain the appearance of occupancy, the more you can psychologically deter an intruder. Set your indoor lamps and television on timers to switch on and off at appropriate times to give the illusion of normalcy on your premises while you’re away. You could also get a trusted friend or employ a referenced housesitter to feed your dogs and watch over your home.
Regularly check your alarm system to ensure it’s functioning correctly, and if you get mail, ask someone you trust to empty your mailbox. You should also ask that person to occasionally move your vehicle in or out of the garage to keep up appearances. If you trust the friend or housesitter who might stay over, let them use the car on the property to encourage usual appearances.
Don’t Become a Victim
Living on a homestead or farm means you’re likely less at risk of burglary than living in an urban home, but it isn’t completely safe. In 2021, 57.7 people per 1,000 in rural areas were victims of burglaries, trespassing and household or vehicle theft. Comparatively, the rate was 157.5 per 1,000 people dwelling in cities.
In other words, you’re safer living outside the urban borders but can still fall foul of people with unsavory motives. It’s up to you to incorporate the relevant deterrents to encourage potential burglars to think twice before encroaching on your property boundary.
Being Home Security Conscious Psychologically Deters Criminals
First and foremost, as a prepper, you know and appreciate that your family and belongings’ safety and security are your responsibility before anybody else’s. Rely on the assistance of others when you have to, but maintain a sense of personal diligence and proactivity in implementing ways to psychologically deter unwanted visitors to your home.
When it comes to home security, being vigilant and implementing the best processes will deter intruders. Your home security is your responsibility, and by adhering to some proactive steps, you can ensure you minimize risk to your family and valuables.
[Note: This was a guest post.]
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