Honestly, you know you're a little paranoid...
1. Install outdoor, motion-sensing flood lights to scare away anyone that may be trying to sneak in at night.
2. Install a peephole so that you know who you are inviting into your home.
3. Reinforce your door jamb to make your front door harder to kick in.
4. Disguise your jewelry case to fool even the most cunning burglars.
5. Apply window film to make it harder for anyone to see into your house or break in through your windows.
6. Set up a keyless deadbolt that can't be picked and doesn't require you to hide your key under the doormat.
7. If you can't replace your lock, don't hide your spare key under a doormat where anyone would look. Stow it in a lockbox.
8. Zip-tie the disengaging arm on the automatic opener to prevent break-ins through the garage.
9. Shred all of your mail and documents before throwing them out so no one can steal your information.
10. The harder you make it for burglars to get in, the less likely they will try.
11. Find out what kind of crime you should watch for in your area.
12. Protect yourself virtually as well as physically.
13. Purchase a basic home security system that you set up yourself. Homes without alarm systems are more likely to get broken into, while homes with them will have significantly fewer losses.
14. Order a home security camera that will warn you if an intruder enters your home.
15. Or turn your computer into a video surveillance system.
16. You could also mount a fake security camera to deter murderers without spending a ton of money.
17. Lock up your tall ladder — you know, the one you used to paint your walls once — so that no one can use it to sneak in through your upstairs window.
18. Inventory everything you own so that you can properly claim damages to your insurance company if someone does break in.
19. Repaint and illuminate your house numbers so that the police can find your home easily if you call them.
Want to do a little bit more?
