Recent Increases in Burglaries Show Need for Added Home Safety
When one thinks of a burglary at a home, images of a masked robber hiding in the shadows of the night and sneaking through a backdoor might come to mind, but truth be told this is just a stereotype. While some home invasions do occur at night, it is becoming less likely that it will be the only time of day when robbers hit. Recently, the Montgomery County police have reported a spike in home invasions and burglaries in the West Bethesda area occurring in the daytime, according to the Bethesda Patch. In order to ensure your family does not fall prey to these criminals it is important to speak with Bethesda area locksmiths about the security options available for your home.
More Daring Attempts to Burgle Homes
It used to be that you worried about your home being targeted for theft in the nighttime hours. Maybe you kept a baseball bat in your bedroom and ensured your phone was close by in case you needed to call authorities, but what steps are you taking to protect your home in the daylight hours? The Montgomery County police reported that from September through early December 2012 there were eight home invasions in Bethesda with the robbers mainly taking jewelry and electronics from homes between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., according to the Bethesda Patch. The police announced that they will be increasing their daytime presence with both uniformed and undercover officers.
Dispelling Break-In Myths
The many misconceptions about when and how burglaries will occur may play a part in people not taking enough steps to secure their home and belongings. The truth is that every 13.7 seconds a burglary happens in the United States and nearly two thirds of these break-ins occur during daylight hours. These statistics can be a bit alarming but should serve as a wake-up call to the real dangers that exist in our own communities. In order to best protect your home, family, and belongings, steps should be taken to secure your house. Some ways to do this include:
Installing a high quality deadbolt lock on your exterior doors and ensuring the deadbolt is locked at all times;
Choosing steel or solid wood for exterior doors as they are harder to kick in;
Not making it obvious that no one is home in your house, by leaving lights or a stereo or TV on inside the home so that anyone that approaches your home to burglarize it will think someone is home
Having a security system installed by an experienced locksmith in Bethesda
Reporting any suspicious people roaming your neighborhood as they may be ‘casing’
Remember that the more steps you take to protect your home, the less likely a robber will be able to break in.
