Each year one out of every 20 homes will be burglarized. The AIC suggests following the guidelines below:

Don't give the impression that no one is home

• Suspend mail and newspaper deliveries or arrange to have these items picked up or forwarded to another address.
• Use automatic timers to turn lights on and off at appropriate times. You may also consider connecting a radio to a timer.
• Arrange to have your lawn mowed.
• Leave blinds or curtains open in their usual position.
• Lower the sound of your phone so that its ring can't be heard outside.

Make your home burglar resistant

• Secure doors with dead-bolts or double-cylinder locks instead of only doorknobs or spring activated locks which are easier to break into. Dead-bolt locks should fit an inch and a half into door frames and are more effective when used with metal sockets that are more difficult to pry open than simple wood sockets.
• Place vertical bolts or a piece of wood (e.g. a broomstick) or metal rod in the tracks of sliding doors.
• Make sure all locks on windows are secure. Windows can also be secured with key locks.

Don't give burgars an incentive to break into your home

• Position all valuables such as paintings, antiques or silver collections away from windows.
• Don't leave extra keys around the mailbox, doormat or flower pots.
• Put cash, jewelry and other valuables in a bank safe deposit.

Have someone watch your home

Notify the police or a reliable neighbor that you will be gone and ask them to keep a watchful eye on your home.