In addition to buying a security system, there are a number of simple steps that can be taken to make your home and family more safe and secure.

Most burglars look for something worth stealing, easy access, low visibility, and a home that is unoccupied. Burglars are afraid of two things: being seen and being heard. Many burglars will spend no more than 60 seconds trying to gain access to a home to steal your belongings. Here are some security tips to assist you in preventing crime from occurring in your home.

Turn on Some Lights
Leave your outside lights on at night. If your neighborhood is dimly lit, ask your municipal authorities to add streetlights or replace existing bulbs with ones of higher wattage. When you're away, put lights on a timer so they come on automatically at dusk to create the impression that you're home.

Lock Up
Simply locking the door can deter a break-in and dead-bolt door locks and sturdy window latches are best. Lock up even when leaving to run a few errands. Burglaries are more likely to occur between the hours of 9 AM and 3 PM when many neighborhoods are empty: children are in school and adults are at work or shopping.

Do Not Assist Burglars
Overgrown landscaping can provide hiding places for would-be burglars and/or keep them from being seen by passers by. Keep hedges trimmed so they're no higher than your windowsills. If you do have shrubs and bushes, select ones with thorns to deter potential intruders from hiding in them. Keep ladders stored in a locked place so they cannot be used to climb into your home. Don't leave tools and equipment in the yard that burglars could use to hide or break into your home. Do you have a privacy fence? If someone enters your yard, would the fence provide cover for the burglar while he breaks in?

Install Peepholes
Peepholes with magnifying lenses let you see who's at your door - without opening it.

Know the Neighbors
Meet your neighbors. Inform each other when workers are scheduled to stop by so imposters can't steal valuables. If your neighbor hasn't informed you of any work to be done, call the police. Some victims of burglary have had their homes completely emptied by what appeared to be a moving company.

Secure the Garage
Close and lock garage doors to protect valuables stored there. If you have an attached garage, make sure to lock the door between the garage and the house. If a burglar gains entry to the garage, don't make it easy to get into the house as well.

Park in the Driveway
If you will be gone, park a car in your driveway. It gives the appearance that someone's home.

Be Careful with Spare Keys
If you leave a spare key outside, use an attack proof key box widely available at hardware and home improvement stores. Burglars routinely check under flowerpots and welcome mats and on window ledges.

Stop Deliveries
Neverl leave notes on your door that can tip off burglars that you are gone. Ask a neighbor to collect newspapers and mail when you're away for a couple of days. If you'll be gone for longer than a couple of days, suspend delivery of newspapers and mail. For longer periods hire someone to mow your lawn or shovel the walk. Most important, make sure your neighbors know when you are leaving and when you will return.

Install a Security System
Good security systems are easy to use and provide you with an added sense of safety - without limiting your freedom while you're at home.

A security system is a proven deterrent to intruders. Studies have shown that homes without alarm systems are 2.2 times more likely to be burglarized than homes with alarm systems.
Source: The Greenwich Case: Securing Suburban Homes, Simon Hakim.

A five-year study by the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice on crime statistics in Newark, N.J. found residential burglar alarms decrease crime.  "The Impact of Home Burglar Alarm Systems on Residential Burglaries" found an installed burglar alarm makes a dwelling less attractive to the would-be intruder and protects the home without displacing burglaries to nearby homes.  This is the first study to focus on alarm systems while scientifically ruling out other factors that could have impacted the crime rate.

Source: The School of Criminal Justice. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

In addition to deterring and detecting burglars, a system warns of fire before you can see or smell it--giving you time to escape to safety. A system can also be used to report medical emergencies and summon medical help at the press of a button.