Despite what you read in newspapers or hear on the local news, we’re actually living in much safer times. Crime rate in the USA has been falling since 1980, and the present burglary rate has come down to about the same level as it was in 1967!
That said, there is still a lot you can lose if you get robbed. Not just robbers, there are real threats from other unscrupulous elements that can cost you not just your cash and valuables but also cause you injury. Securing your home against intruders therefore becomes essential.
You needn’t make your house into a fortress, but just ensure you aren’t the lowest hanging fruit in the neighborhood. Considering the abysmal awareness and precaution most Americans take, not counting the pittance they spend on securing their living and work spaces, I think it is going to be pretty easy for you. Here are some cost-effective and easily achieved clever ways to secure your home against intruders.
One clever way I learned the house could be armed against intruders is by planting specific plants around the house. And I don’t mean this in the feng shui sense. There are plants that can irritate the skin or cause a pesky rash to someone who gets too close. How does this make the house safer? Let me tell you.
When trying to get a close approach to the house, an intruder finds a friend in the hedge or shrubbery people love to plant right under a window or close to the porch. The height of the shrubs can easily mask someone while they’re ducking. It only helps if the shrub is leafy or dense with branches.
There are plants that cause rashes when touched that you can plant around the house, especially in areas a burglar would try to sneak along. Plants like Euphorbia or Mezereum are pretty common to find in most areas, and both deliver a nasty rash when someone gets too close to them. If the robber is busy scratching themselves crazy, they’re likely to fumble around and give themselves away, or decide to abandon the project and call it a night.
Just be sure you don’t have pets or kids walking to the bushes. Children can be attracted to the bright red toxic berries of Mezereum. It is a great idea to prune the plant after flowering, or pluck out dried flowers before they have a chance to form into berries (wearing rubber gloves of course).
Put a Security Sign
Put things into perspective for the robber. If you tell a burglar that your house has security measures in place, they’ll likely not bother you. Criminals look for profit in little effort. So if they feel they have to deal with a lot of security systems or an alarm system that’s hard to fool, they’ll be discouraged to try robbing you.
A lot of people put up signs warning intruders of ferocious dogs. More than ferocious dogs, however, a criminal is likely to be dissuaded by a dog that barks a lot. Barking dogs alert neighbors or the owner if they’re home. Whatever they have their eyes set on inside the house, it’s not worth being seen.
However, not all security signs are helpful. For example, if your security sign proclaims the brand (some even announce the model; hey, it’s cheap advertisement for the company!), the robber will be able to find ways to get through the security and reach your valuables. Everything’s available on the internet these days, you know.
Similarly, if you have a sign marking your camera (think cheesy posters or wall art that might go something like “smile you’re being recorded”), it won’t show them their place or be a quirky show of attitude, but alert them to not look into the camera and perhaps wear a hat, a cap or a hoodie when they come breaking in.
Keeping your house safe from intruders doesn’t require you to build a fortress or be paranoid about everyone who comes visiting. Only ensure your house and property are not low hanging fruit. Keeping the garage safely locked, installing an anti-burglar system and a video-enabled doorbell are really easy and convenient. For everything else, any little trouble you face installing them will be worth the peace of mind you attain knowing you are safer than you were without adequate security in place.
