Home Safety

How to Stop Burglars from Targeting Your Home

Stewart Grant August 06, 2025

No one wants to imagine their home being the target of a break-in. The truth is that burglars often look for easy opportunities, and homes without visible security measures are at the top of their list. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to make your home a difficult target, keeping your family and belongings safe.

This post will walk you through proven strategies that deter burglars, from smart security systems and lighting tips to behavioral habits that make a big difference.

1. Always Make It Look Like Someone’s Home

Burglars often stake out homes to identify the perfect time to strike based on repeated patterns and schedules. Here’s how to keep them guessing:

  • Use smart lights: Program lights to turn on and off at different times each day around sunset.
  • Automate curtains or blinds: Smart window treatments add variety to your home’s appearance (not to mention temperature-controlling benefits).
  • Ask a neighbor to collect mail: An overstuffed mailbox or pile of packages is a dead giveaway that you’re out of town.
  • Leave a car in the driveway if possible. Don’t forget to make sure it is locked!

2. Install a Modern Security System With Visible Deterrents

A 2022 study found that homes with visible security devices are 300% less likely to be burglarized. Make sure any outdoor element of your system is easily visible.

  • Use yard signs and window stickers from your security provider.
  • Install outdoor cameras at eye-level, including a video doorbell.

3. Secure Doors and Windows Properly

Reinforce the most common entry points for break-ins with multiple layers of protection.

  • Install reinforced strike plates and long screws in exterior doors.
  • Add smart door/window sensors to all entry points.
  • Use a smart lock for access control on your front door.
  • Install shatterproof film or glass break sensors for windows.

4. Light Up the Exterior

Burglars love the cover of darkness. A well-lit home is a major deterrent.

  • Motion-activated lights at entry points, garages, and side paths are essential.
  • Smart exterior lighting can be controlled remotely or set on a timer.
  • Landscape lighting not only boosts curb appeal but also removes hiding spots.

5. Don’t Advertise Your Valuables Or Travel Plans

Make sure your home doesn’t look like a showroom from the outside:

  • Keep expensive electronics, jewelry, or large TVs out of direct view from windows.
  • Avoid posting vacation plans and new purchases on social media.
  • Break down boxes for electronics and place them in recycling discreetly.

6. Get to Know Your Neighbors

A connected neighborhood is a safer one. Neighbors who know each other are more likely to notice—and report—suspicious activity.

  • Start or join a neighborhood watch.
  • Use local social media groups (like Nextdoor) to stay informed.
  • Let a trusted neighbor know when you’re away.

7. Use Smart Home Automation to Your Advantage

Home secured with Abode system with Auto Arming

Smart home devices can make your home feel occupied and monitored 24/7:

  • Automate lights, music, locks, and blinds.
  • Get real-time alerts for motion or entry.
  • Set up geofencing to automatically arm your security system and lock your door when you leave.
  • Integrate with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or Alexa for seamless control.

8. Keep Landscaping Trimmed

Overgrown bushes and trees offer great hiding spots for burglars:

  • Keep shrubs and trees near windows cut low.
  • Choose thorny or dense plants for perimeter areas.
  • Avoid high privacy fences in front yards—they can actually help burglars go unnoticed by neighbors.

9. Lock Everything—Even When You’re Home

It may sound basic, but it’s often overlooked:

  • Always lock doors and windows, even during the day.
  • Secure garage doors and interior doors leading from the garage.
  • Lock gates and sheds—burglars often steal tools to break into the main house.

10. Perform a Home Security Audit

Walk around your home like a burglar might. Look for:

  • Dark corners or blind spots
  • Entry points without cameras or alarms
  • Valuable items that are visible from the outside
  • Faulty locks or aging doors

Make a checklist and address one area at a time. Even small upgrades can make a big difference.

The more deterrents you place between a burglar and your home, the more likely they are to move on. With a blend of smart tech, visible deterrents, good habits, and community awareness, you can make your home a fortress without making it feel like one. Ready to invest in a top-rated smart home security system? Build your custom Abode system today.