Look into safety-coating your most vulnerable windows. Safety coat is an adhesive plastic sheeting that makes breaking out windows difficult.

Reason: It’s not going to be fun for them, standing in a rosebush only to discover that the window isn’t easy to break either. Instead of a quick pop, they now need to stand there and repeatedly pound before they can even reach the lock. Wait until they discovers that the window has window stops as well.

If you can afford it, there are many quality windows that are not only good to keep inclement weather out, but provide serious burglar protection, as well.

On top of everything else, get an alarm system, this is another layer of the onion. You can go anywhere from a basic system to incredibly high tech.

Reason: Now that you’ve made it slow and difficult for him to get inside, an alarm is far more effective since it gives the security patrol a chance to arrive in time. In addition, burglar and fire alarms do wonders to keep your home owner’s insurance down.

If you use a pole in the track to secure sliding doors and windows make sure it is the right length. It should be within a 1/2 inch of the track’s length.

Reason: If the pole is not long enough to keep the criminal from slipping his fingers in, it is of no use. Staple or tape a piece of string to the pole to make it easy to remove when it is in the track.

Better yet get a “track stop” or “track lock” that you can put in the tracks. They are far better than the “poor man’s version” of a dowel.

Get a dog, a barking dog, whether inside the house or in the yard is proven as the best deterrent to burglars.

Reason: It doesn’t have to be a 250 - pound Rottweiler named Killer, even a smaller yappy dog serves as an early warning system. Not only does the intruder risk a bite, but the barking attracts attention. And there is no such thing as a stranger intimidating a dog into silence.

We don’t recommend dog doors. It is not uncommon for thieves to bring small children and send them through these and have the child open the main door. Also, since many burglars are, in fact, teenagers, it is also common for them to bring a younger child with them to do this. If you do have a dog door already, either a) put the dog out and lock the door during the day or b) make sure the access gates to your yard are locked. That way the criminals cannot simply walk by, open your gate to let the dog out and then return when the dog has wandered away.

The truth is a dog, even a small dog, inside a house is not something a burglar wants to to deal with. Getting bitten is not fun.

Install motion detectors in areas where no one should be. This way, you know something isn’t right when they go off.

Reason: Most people put safety lights where they do the least good. While they illuminate your approach as you pull into your driveway, such lights are often hard to see if you are indoors. Put them along the side of the house or back, so that someone lurking there sets them off.

Position them so you can see when they go on. The lights are adjustable, so even if you have a blind wall you can turn the lights so they will both illuminate an area and attract your attention. Put them high enough so that they cannot be knocked out of service by someone jumping.

Look into low voltage and/or solar powered outdoor lighting. This kind of lighting illuminates your property at very little cost.

Get to know your neighbours, create your own Neighbourhood Watch program.

Reason: An alert and involved community is the criminal’s nemesis. It is often reason enough for him to take his business elsewhere.

By knowing your neighbours, especially retired people who are home all day. Let them know who belongs there and who doesn’t. Have them watch your property and pick up your newspaper when you are on holidays. It is also a good idea to hire a trustworthy young teenage neighbour to do such mundane jobs as mowing your lawn or taking out the trash. These kids then have vested interests in your property and they are home to watch your property when adults aren’t. The kids like it because they get spending money and you get to watch TV on the weekend instead of mowing the lawn.

Make sure the gates are locked if you have a fence. This is especially important with accesses to the alley.

Reason: Each layer serves as a deterrent. The more layers and hard work the criminal has to do, the more likely he is to pass by your home. A locked fence is something he must climb over while carrying objects. If the gate is left unlocked, however, he can just walk right through it. So lock your gates with a quality padlock.

Leave the stereo/TV on, an empty house “feels” empty. There is no vibration or noise inside that indicates someone’s presence. Put the “vibe” back into your house.

Reason: Although this is not a guaranteed deterrent, it can serve as a “bluff” to young, inexperienced prowlers. Even though they have “checked” to see if anyone is home (e.g. knock on the door), the unexpected noise, especially from the back or upstairs (any place they can’t look into), indicates that they made a mistake on their primary recon. Maybe someone is home and just didn’t hear the doorbell.

You might especially want to consider this strategy for holidays. Close the drapes, turn the stereo/TV on in the room where the criminal is most likely to try to break in.

Etch your name on all electronic equipment TV/stereo/computer and then tape it. Etching property serves as a deterrent in case of a break in, failing that it greatly assists the police in the recovery of your property

Reason : Items with your name and address cannot be easily sold. The reason for this is that anyone buying them is buying something that can easily be proven to be stolen property and they know it. What protects most buyers who purchase stolen goods is the fact that it is difficult to prove something is stolen. However, a name and address on an item combined with a police report is a fast way to end up in jail for possession of stolen property, even if the person who has it bought it off the burglar. As such, why steal something that you a) can’t sell, b) if you are caught with you’re definitely going to jail for?

Although it is better to record serial numbers, a faster way to assist the police in recovery is to video tape every room and all the items in them. As you tape say what it is (for example Sanyo TV, Hitachi DVD player, etc.,) Title the tape something like “Family Reunion” or something you will remember and put it in your video collection. This way, if items are stolen you can give the tape to the police, video and the etching will identify your property when the police encounter it. Which quite often they do, being called to homes where stolen property is present, but without a means to identify it as such, they cannot prove it. Also send a duplicate copy to a relative.

Get a safe! It’s not just cash and jewellery that need to go in there, but your important paperwork.

Reason: Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes. Although many people think burglars are going to go for jewellry, silverware or electronics, what most people don’t realise is that the greatest damage to you will be if the criminal gets access to your personal identification and financial records!!! A criminal can clone your identity and steal everything you have.

Make sure the safe is bolted through the floor and cannot be carried out. If you are in a situation where you cannot use such measures (such as an apartment) then invest in a large, heavy duty filing cabinet with locks. Do NOT leave the keys nearby.