Five Dead Giveaways Immediately Signal to Burglars That You're Not at Home
Burglars don't want to get caught, which is why they usually wait until you're out of your house before they break in. Who's tipping them off that you're out of town and your house is a sitting duck? Chances are, you're the one broadcasting the news—by not taking steps to make sure your house doesn't look empty.
"In addition to security cues like alarm systems, burglars look for what's referred to as 'occupancy cues,' giveaways that tell them whether you're home," says security and intelligence professional K. Campbell, principal at Blue Glacier Security & Intelligence LLC. "If you go away for even a few days, such as for a long weekend, your home might lack occupancy cues."
Occupancy cues are exactly what they sound like—signals that someone is at home. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can make sure your house is giving occupancy even when you're far, far away. "A solution for the absence of occupancy cues is to insert randomness at your home," says Campbell. "The U.S. government uses random security measures at its installations in order to deter would-be attackers, so randomness can work at home."
Here are five dead giveaways that no one's home, making your house a potential target for burglary—plus expert solutions for how to avoid them.
The house is dark
When you're at home, you're probably turning the lights on and off at night as you go about your evening routine. If your house remains dark all night long, that's a pretty clear sign that no one's there.
You might try setting your lights on timers to keep things illuminated while you're away, fooling any stalkers. But there's an even better option for burglary prevention. "To really make it seem like your house is occupied, install smart lights that you can control remotely," says Rob Gabriele, managing editor and home security expert at SafeHome.org. That way you can keep your lighting situation random, making it look more authentic. For extra credit, you can also use a TV light simulator to make it look like someone's watching TV.
There are no cars in the driveway—or a car has been there too long
Burglars often "case" a house for a while before breaking in, studying it to identify security and occupancy cues specific to the home and its owners. If you always park your car in the driveway, and a burglar sees it missing one night, they could realize you're not home. On the flip side, if you've taken a taxi to the airport and left your car in the driveway, a burglar might take note that the car hasn't moved in days. To avoid this, it's best to have a neighbor, family member, or friend park their car in your driveway from time to time, or even move your own car.
Newspapers, mail, and packages start piling up
When a mound of Amazon boxes grows outside your front door, that's a clear indication that no one's home. The same goes for newspapers that are lining the driveway or mailboxes that are overflowing. The solution is simple: Have someone pick up your mail for you while you're out of town.
Your lawn care is lacking
If you're gone for an extended period of time, careful observers could take note of a usually well-manicured lawn becoming somewhat unkempt. "To keep burglars away while you’re on vacation, hire help for lawn maintenance," advises Gabriele.
No one's shoveled or plowed after a snowstorm
You may be spend winter break in sunny Florida while your local burglar is hard at work. Depending on where you live, if you're away in the winter months, a snowstorm could easily give away the fact that you're not home. If you haven't plowed your driveway or shoveled the front walk for a few days after snowfall, burglars might catch on that this is their moment. As with lawn care, it's best to hire someone to take care of this for you while you're gone. It wouldn't hurt to have a few sets of footprints coming into and out of the home, too!
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