Inside your garage is not a Maserati. Still, your Toyota Camry is a product of your hard-earned money. You want to keep it safe from burglars just as you want to keep your family safe from a home invasion.
Salt Lake City is your wife’s hometown, and not even the city’s 2018 ranking as the most dangerous city for property crimes can deter you from joining her in that city.
Experiencing burglary itself is already aggravating. The aftermath leaves you also dealing with the repair of broken garage doors, windows, and other property damages. You need to take precautions. Here are some ways to keep your home secure:
Be Informed
The data did not escape you when you were first considering to move to SLC. It pays to review the big picture. This might help determine what resources you need to acquire.
The violent crime rate in the city is 879 for every 100,000 people, which is higher than the national average of 383, and much higher than the state average of 239. The average occurrence of a burglary in SLC is 966.3 per 100,000 people compared to the national average of 430.4.
Talk to the local police authorities. Find out more details about crimes that have taken place in the area. When do breaks in generally happen? What are the usual entry points? Are there public surveillance cameras?
Data from the FBI indicates that 65% of burglaries occur between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. What’s even more shocking is that 65% of the perpetrators know their victims! Not that you need to spy on your neighbor, but it’s important to keep this information in mind.
Get Insurance
If you have the budget, then getting insurance would probably be a no-brainer. Explore the offerings of the insurance company and find out which one suits you. Liberty Mutual, State Farm, and Allstate are some of the top insurance companies in Utah.
The average annual premium in the state is just $673 compared to the national average of $1,173.
What to Secure
The nine commonly stolen items by thieves are the following:
- Cash
- electronic devices (mobile phones, tablets, etc.)
- jewelry
- medication
- firearms/guns
- tools
- your identity
- cars
- bikes
How to Secure
Security starts with your habits. If you always leave your door unlocked, then it’s easier for intruders to get in. If you keep your jewelry and expensive devices just lying around and exposed, then it’s easier for those items to be stolen.
Discuss with your family members, especially with your kids who are old enough, that they need to learn to take care of their stuff, like valuable toys, mobile phones, and other gadgets. Expensive items, as well as dangerous items like a gun, should be locked in safe.
Investing in home security systems is also an option. This could be very expensive. You could spend anywhere between $250 to upwards of $1,500. You might want to prioritize certain areas for cameras or trigger alarms. The following shows the most common entry points by burglars:
- Front door – 34%
- First-floor window – 23%
- Back door – 22%
- Garage – 9%
- Unlocked entrance – 4%
- Through the 2nd floor – 2%
Lastly, doing the little things matter. Getting to know your neighbor leads to a more vigilant and tightly knit community, where crimes tend to occur less. Be vocal at community meetings about improving street lightings. Prevent temptation by keeping items like grills or bikes out of plain sight. Big and small steps will help keep your home safe.
