Thieves love homes that are unprotected and easy to break into; or homes that have many valuables. The following steps elaborate on some methods to avoid having your home broken into.

Follow the neighborhood - Even if you are wealthier then most people in the neighborhood, you may want to make the exterior of your home look like the rest of the neighborhood. While this can be offensive in certain areas (i.e. everyone's home is well kept), in bad neighborhoods, this can be a great remedy. This means, unless the exterior of your house is falling apart, do not replace the siding. Moral of the story, make your house look like all of the other houses in the neighborhood.

Drive an older car - If you drive an older, cheaper car, this can tell a criminal that you are not very wealthy, and therefore your home is not a good target.

1 Lock the doors - Although this seems obvious, many people still fail to do this. This makes it incredibly easy for a criminal to steal items, without difficulty of getting them out of the home (except some furniture); and without leaving visible evidence of the theft, that a neighbor can see from the outside of the home.

2 Close and lock windows - Just locking doors is pointless if you do not close the windows when gone.

3 Don't advertise valuables - You do not have to put a list your valuables in the classified for a local newspaper, for a criminal to know what valuables you might have. By placing valuables in plain-sight; such as having valuables in locations that abut a window, especially on the first floor of the home (i.e. large television or computer system directly behind the large front windows of your home.).

4 Also, just because you don't make it obvious for someone who goes by the home to know what's in it, there are other ways a criminal can determine what valuables you have in your home. Be careful of who is knowledgeable of your valuables. By bragging (or telling) about your valuables, even to people you believe are not going to be the burglars; you increase your risk of a home invasion. Even if they are completely innocent, they could possibly tell somebody who is not as upstanding. For those who post information of what they own online, you should also be careful.

5 Get an alarm - If you live in a rural area, then these may not be very much use. However, in city environments, these can provide additional security to your home. Invest in a quality alarm, preferably with a cellular backup (because it is quite easy for a criminal to disconnect phone wires leading to your home). Be sure to turn it on, especially in the following situations:

    * You leave your home, and nobody is there. Even if you are only gone for a short period of time.
    * When you are home alone.
    * When you are sleeping.

6 Remove hiding locations - Criminals love to make an entry in a location that is poorly visible to others. By removing vegetation that makes it difficult for others to see around your home, you lower the risk that they can make a silent entry.

7 Park bicycles and vehicles in a garage - If possible, park your bicycles and vehicles in a locked garage. If that garage has windows, be sure to put shades or blinds over them; so criminals cannot see what kind of transportation they can steal.

8 Add privacy curtains - These thin curtains allow light in, but distort the image of the room.