50 Ways Your Home is Vulnerable to Theft

How safe is your home? Certain things can leave you more susceptible to break-ins and theft. Do you know what to look out for?

We’ve compiled the top 50 ways your home is vulnerable to theft:

  1. Your home does not have a video surveillance system
  2. You don’t have adequate outdoor lighting installed at your home
  3. Your front door does not have a deadbolt
  4. Unlocked doors
  5. Unlocked gates
  6. Unlocked garage doors
  7. Open garage doors
  8. Open windows
  9. Unlocked windows
  10. Unlocked storage sheds
  11. Unsecured screen or storm doors
  12. Doors, windows or gates are in disrepair
  13. Overgrown landscaping
  14. Poorly-lit basement stairs
  15. Your patio door does not have a strong metal rod placed in the track for reinforcement
  16. You did not reinforce your French doors with top and bottom deadbolts or a security bar
  17. You let newspapers and mail pile up when you are away
  18. You announce on social media that you are on vacation
  19. You post vacation pics on social media
  20. You leave notes on the front door
  21. You don’t have a home surveillance sign in your yard, or in your windows
  22. An unlit front or back yard
  23. You leave valuables in plain view
  24. You leave a garage door opener in your car in plain sight
  25. Deliveries are left on the porch, patio or other location outside your home
  26. Boxes of big ticket items are in your outdoor trash bin
  27. Empty garbage cans are left on the street for days at a time
  28. Not having your interior or exterior lights set on a timer to go on when you are not home
  29. Leaving a spare key under the door mat
  30. Not changing the locks when you move into a new home
  31. Tall bushes in front of windows
  32. Uncaged air conditioners
  33. You have a predictable routine
  34. Lawn equipment left in the back yard
  35. An unlocked vehicle in the driveway
  36. Leaving your door unlocked when you leave your house to get the mail or other “quick” errand
  37. You live in a non-gated community
  38. Your home has low fences that are easy to climb over
  39. A neighborhood without a lot of activity
  40. Your home address is not easily readable
  41. Your big screen TV is easily seen from an open window
  42. You live in a high crime neighborhood
  43. You don’t have a neighborhood watch
  44. You blab to everyone when you won’t be home
  45. You have an in-window air conditioner
  46. You open the door to solicitors without knowing who is at the door
  47. You don’t acknowledge you are home if someone rings the bell
  48. You don’t prescreen service providers or domestic help
  49. You give out spare home keys to multiple people
  50. Your home address is programmed into your car’s GPS

If you’re interested in learning how to use video surveillance to protect your family and property from break-ins and burglary, try our 6-part series, 6 Steps To Your Perfect Video Security System.