Whether circumstances have forced you to move into a neighborhood that’s a little sketchy or your longtime neighborhood has become a little run down, people sometimes find themselves not living in the most ideal of situations.
Unfortunately, crime occurs in pretty much every city in the world on some level, and criminals often resort to breaking and entering in the hopes of getting some quick cash.
Once you realize that you yourself certainly can’t change the crime rates in your area nor do much to stop crime from happening, you do have a responsibility to keep your family safe in any scenario.
How do you go about that in a bad neighborhood? There are always ways to do the things you need to do. Here are some tips.
Invest in a Home Security System
The first thing you should do to raise your family’s level of safety in your home is shop for one of the many home security systems out there now.
The best ones have it all: cameras, lights, motion sensors, window and door monitors, you name it. Once you have all these things installed, you simply make your house the least desirable place for a potential burglar to break into.
Why go for the house that’s locked down like a castle when you can try the house next door? It just makes sense that way, to a burglar’s mind.
The elements of your system will be there if you need them, but the mere presence of a camera or a sign out front should be enough to keep you safe.
Don’t Leave Valuables in Your Vehicles
Secondly, whether you’re at home or parked in some public place, it’s always a good idea to hide away your valuables in your car. Even something as seemingly unimportant as pocket change can seem desirable to someone who just really needs money and is willing to burglarize to get it.
Put away your change, cash, phones, chargers, devices, and anything you judge to have perceived value to a would-be burglar.
The logic here is pretty much the same as with a security system in your house. You can’t physically stop burglars from breaking in if they want to, but the point is to make your vehicle an unattractive target.
If criminals can’t see anything valuable through your windows, then they don’t know if it’s worth breaking into your car and risking getting caught. A car with a visible laptop makes it much easier for burglars.
Don’t make it easier.
Have a Plan
Lastly, make sure everyone in your family knows what to do in case of an emergency.
Does your home have an area where everyone can hide in the event of a break-in? Perhaps a basement room or a walk-in closet?
Your job is to keep your family safe, but when events occur beyond your control, you still need to have a backup plan. Knowing where everyone should gather in a dire situation is a good idea, since you won’t then have to worry about who is where.
This goes for any kind of dangerous scenario, such as during a hurricane, flood, or break-in. Ideally, things will never come to this, but it won’t do you any harm to have the plan in place so it’s there if you need it.
Remember all these tips, and you can go a long way toward keeping yourself and your family away from trouble.