How home security signs can help prevent break-ins

You can pay thousands of dollars a year for a pricey home alarm system, but protecting your family from burglars can be simpler than you think with security signs.

Every 90 seconds, a residential break-in takes place somewhere in Canada. More than 80 per cent of break-ins occur during daylight hours but most burglaries are a crime of opportunity. Thieves and vandals look for easy targets to make a quick buck.

If you can create the perception of security, it can increase your home’s overall security.

• Visual signs of security, such a video surveillance, alarm systems in a home, or an anti-theft system in a car, can send a strong message to potential thieves and vandals.
• A simple security sign will go a long way to deter a break-in.
• When burglars see the security sign out front or in your car, it reduces the odds they’ll choose your house to rob. Instead, they'll find an easier target.
• Even if a thief does break in, if they think your house has a security system in place, they will often steal less and leave your property faster.

So the easiest way to reduce your home’s risk of a break-in — place security signs or stickers by any entrances to your home, in your car, and post security signs in your front and back gardens.

Here are some of the most common types of security signs you can use.

No burglar or vandal wants to be captured on film.

It doesn't matter which home security company you choose, if their security sign is posted by your front door, your chances of getting robbed are greatly reduced.

The last thing a burglar wants to run into is an angry dog ready to defend his home.

Many burglars will be deterred by the prospect of a loud sound calling attention to your home.

Simply hanging a security sign in the window of your home or car is an effective way to reduce your risk of a break-in or damage to your property, but it is not a substitute for a real security system.

• If you are worried about your home’s safety, talk to a security specialist about which system could be the best fit for your family’s needs and budget.