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The 4 Biggest Mistakes People Make With Their Home Security

The 4 Biggest Mistakes People Make With Their Home Security

The 4 Biggest Mistakes People Make With Their Home SecurityThe 4 Biggest Mistakes People Make With Their Home Security

We all want our home to be safe from threats, taking the time to enhance home security to prevent unwanted attention from opportunistic criminals. Yet many people don’t quite realize how clever burglars are, with many seizing the initiative to break in because we’ve made mistakes with our home security.

Many of these are seemingly harmless mistakes, with homeowners not always recognizing that they’ve created their own security risk. But with a bit of awareness and good preparation, you can avoid these mistakes and have peace of mind that your home is safe and secure.

Here are the 4 biggest mistakes that people make with their home security:

Leave a Key Outside

Leaving a spare key outside may feel convenient but it is asking for someone to break in to your property. Burglars know all about this common home security mistake and will always check under doormats and plant pots for that hidden spare key.

The last thing you ever want is to give a burglar the keys to your front door – which is exactly what might happen if you keep leaving spares outside!

Unlocked Doors and Windows

In a perfect world we would be able to leave our windows and doors unlocked without ever worrying – that sadly isn’t the world we live in.

Windows and doors are some of the first areas where a burglar will check when breaking into a property. This is the perfect target for a would-be intruder, giving them quick and easy access to your property without any forced entry.

Always lock your doors when you leave the house and be sure to lock them before you go to bed – you may just want to keep them locked 24/7 just to be on the safe side!

Also, avoid leaving your windows open when you leave the house, even if it’s on the top floor.

Bushes and Trees Too Close to the Property

While bushes and trees are a wonderful addition to your landscaping, they also pose a potential security threat, and one that most are unaware of.

For example, if you have large bushes very close to your house it offers the perfect coverage for someone trying to break in. Thick bushes are ideal for hiding when breaking into a property, so be sure to cut back or even remove those massive shrubs and bushes.

Furthermore, trees pose a unique security threat when too close to your home. Burglars often climb trees to break into a house via an open window, so always cut back any branches that are close to your house.

No Obvious Signs of Security

Burglars love an easy target and one of the quickest ways to identify this is when there are no obvious signs of home security systems. For instance, having security alarms clearly displayed at the front of the house is one of the best deterrents against a break-in.

Don’t hide any cameras, clearly advertise your home security system if possible, and make sure there are obvious signs of security near windows – burglars will peer through looking for alarms, cameras and heavy-duty locks to see how easy a break-in might be.

If you have a home in The Coachella Valley and are concerned about the overall security of your property, see our page for special offers on a new alarm system, then contact the professional alarm consultants at Command One Security! We are eager to discuss with you the most effective and economical options we have available for home security today. Call us today at (760) 568-0052!

Never Hide Your House Keys in These 6 Spots

Never Hide Your House Keys in These 6 Spots

Never Hide Your House Keys in These 6 Spots Never Hide Your House Keys in These 6 Spots

There are many instances where people want to hide a house key outside. It’s often a spare key that is only used for emergencies, such as losing your keys and being locked out, while others like to leave their key around because they don’t want to carry it around, such as going for a quick jog around the block.

While there are valid reasons for hiding house keys around your property, it’s important to understand the risk of doing so. Yes, you can hide it well but there are certain spots that aren’t as good as you might think!

Here are 6 spots where you should never hide your house key:

Under the Doormat

The classic hiding spot, and possibly one of the worst, never hide your house keys under the doormat! The reason is quite simple – anyone that’s an intruder with a shred of intelligence will check this spot first.

Around one third of burglars use the front door to access the property, many of which have found a spare key lying under the doormat and used it for easy access. Never make the mistake of hiding any key under the doormat!

Under Pots or Rocks

While not as obvious as a doormat, placing a key under a plant pot on your porch or a nearby rock is also a dreadful idea. Basically, any large object located near the door will likely be checked when someone is trying to find a spare key to break in, so that means plant pots and other décor should be avoided at all costs.

Under Trash Bins

As you might noticed there is a trend where hiding keys under objects outside your house is a bad idea, and trash bins are another example of this. While the larger size of some trash bins may make them appear as a decent hiding spot, they are anything but this.

Trash bins are easily moved and will be every few weeks when they get emptied. This will leave your key exposed or may have even been dragged beneath the bin as they are emptied and get lost. Don’t make the mistake of hiding your keys under any of your trash bins.

Inside a Fake Rock

Despite being marketed as an innovated home security product fake rocks are a terrible place to hide a spare key. The reason its such an unwise place to hide your keys is because almost every burglar knows about these fake rocks and can spot them from a mile away.

On Your Car

Cars can offer a nice hiding spot for a key, especially if using a magnetic lockbox. The sad truth is that burglars tend to check around your car wheels, so even using a lockbox to store the keys isn’t recommended.

Inside the Mailbox

Sometimes people stash their key in their mailbox when running a quick errand. While the temporary spot may seem harmless, mailboxes aren’t the most secure and you may find the key is accidently lifted by the mailman.

If you have a home in The Coachella Valley and are concerned about the overall security of your property, see our page for special offers on a new alarm system, then contact the professional alarm consultants at Command One Security! We are eager to discuss with you the most effective and economical options we have available for home security today. Call us today at (760) 568-0052!

Beware of These Deceptive Home Invasion Tactics

Beware of These 3 Deceptive Home Invasion Tactics

Beware of These 3 Deceptive Home Invasion Tactics

Beware of These Deceptive Home Invasion TacticsHome invasions are on the rise and because of them, home security is a topic of concern for all homeowners and families. Criminals are becoming increasingly brazen and coming up with new tactics to deceive and trick their victims. When it comes to home security, most people are complacent. This is not good because it ultimately leads to disaster. Staying well aware of the tactics used by the home invaders is the key that will help you take the necessary protective measures to protect your family and your home.

Following are the 3 deceptive and most common home invasion tactics you should be aware of:

1. Litter Left in Front of Your House
If you see any kind of litter in front of your house, then it is highly recommended that you dispose of it. This is because criminals scouting the neighborhood leave trash indicators on properties. Things such as bags, lids, cans, etc. in front of your house could have been intentionally left by a criminal scout in order to let another criminal know that your property has been marked to have something worth stealing. This makes your home a target for a break-in.

2. Using Your Pets to Case Your Home
Criminals look for your pets, for example dogs that are left outside as this is a clear indicator that there are going to be no dogs inside, hence making it easier for the criminals to break in. To get rid of the obvious threat (the dog outside of your home), a criminal will feed the dog with meat that has been poisoned in order to kill it or make it very ill.

Criminals also look for homes where cats are present. This is because most people who have cats tend to leave their windows open and even disable their alarms so that their beloved pets can move about freely.

3. Ad Flyers and Business Cards
Never take business cards or flyers from a stranger who approaches you at your house or anywhere else. Criminals have been known to lace authentic-looking business cards or flyers with chloroform or other such substance. If that substance is absorbed by your skin, you can pass out, making you an easy target for the criminal to rob you of your valuables, money, and house keys. The keys will then give the criminal access to your house and your valuables inside.

Final Word
When it comes to home invasion, prevention is always your best bet. Being aware of the common tactics used by criminals to invade the home can help you take better protective measures and ensure the safety of your home and your family.

If you have a home in The Coachella Valley and are concerned about the overall security of your property, see our page for special offers on a new alarm system, then contact the professional alarm consultants at Command One Security! We are eager to discuss with you the most effective and economical options we have available for home security today. Call us today at (760) 568-0052!

4-things-that-help-get-burglars-caught-after-breaking-into-a-home

4 Things That Help Get Burglars Caught After Breaking Into A Home

4 Things That Help Get Burglars Caught After Breaking Into A Home

4-things-that-help-get-burglars-caught-after-breaking-into-a-homeNothing is worse than having your home broken into and your valuables stolen. It’s an understandably traumatic experience, yet after the initial shock of being robbed, there is a good chance you are motivated to do all you can to help catch the crook.

However, preventative measures are always the best course of action to take. Even if you have a robust security system in place, there is still a chance that a burglar might break into your home, so it always helps to take some extra steps to help catch them in the event of a break-in.

Here are four things that help get burglars caught after breaking into a home:

1. Video Footage

The most obvious way of catching a burglar is by providing the police with video footage of the break-in. This means you’ll need to install some security cameras throughout your home to ensure there is always a video feed should there be a break in.

Should police have video footage of a break-in then they have so much more evidence to work with, significantly increasing the chances of the burglar being caught – get those security cameras installed ASAP!

2. Marked Valuables

This is a much more subtle method and one that works wonders, especially for catching inexperienced burglars. Basically, you want to mark anything you deem a valuable possession, and there are a few options for how to go about doing this.

A popular method is a UV pen. These are cheap and leave no marks on your belongings, revealing the mark under a UV light. So, if the police were to catch a suspect with some of your stolen valuables they can use the marking to confirm it’s yours and that the suspect stole it.

3. Inventory of Items

Like marking your items, creating an inventory of items is another easy preventative measure that may help catch a burglar. Again, if the police catch a suspect and they have some of the items on your inventory list, it’s much easier to determine they are the culprit.

Similarly, checking pawn shops and websites such as Craigslist for your inventory of items may reveal the thief’s whereabouts, so it never hurts to create a list of all the valuables in your home.

4. Electronic Tracker

You may be able to determine the exact whereabouts of the burglar if you have an electronic tracker on some of your valuables, which is a lot easier than it sounds. This works especially well for finding electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, which just so happen to be prime targets for burglars.

Tracking devices vary in size, but most are very small and easy to attach to valuables – in many instances they remain well hidden. Tracking methods vary, with some using GPS, Bluetooth, or even altitude signals, and those with the longest tracking ranges are best for anti-theft.

If you have a home in The Coachella Valley and are concerned about the overall security of your property, see our page for special offers on a new alarm system, then contact the professional alarm consultants at Command One Security! We are eager to discuss with you the most effective and economical options we have available for home security today. Call us today at (760) 568-0052!

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