Protect your home--follow me !
Burglars don't like to be seen, so install lights that will light up the outside of your home. Motion detecting fixtures are a great idea, just be sure to install them where a burglar can't reach up to remove or break the bulb.
Plants and shrubs growing around your home can provide a great place for a burglar to lurk unseen. Keep your bushes trimmed so a burglar can't hide in them, out of sight.
Don't advertise that there are things worth stealing in your home. If you get a new TV or computer, don't just put the box out by the curb on trash pick up day and let the bad guys know what's inside. Break down the box or turn it inside out, so no one passing by will be able to make a shopping list.
Finally, make sure your home has a lived in appearance. Plug interior lights and a radio into timers that turn on and off at different times so your house looks occupied. If you're going to be away for a while - make arrangements to have your grass cut (or snow cleared), stop mail and newspaper deliveries and have someone pick up those flyers that seemingly show up every day. Getting a neighbor to park a vehicle in your driveway also helps make it look like someone is there.
Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that if you do everything suggested here that your home won’t ever get broken into. However, following these suggestions will definitely make it more difficult for a burglar to get into your home, and often that's enough to get him to try somewhere else.
