How to Protect Yourself If You Live Alone
Women who live by themselves are often the targets of intruders. However, if you are not a woman you can still become the victim of an intrusion. If you like living along, you should at least know how you could protect yourself against the possibility of a break-in. At Locksmith Service Arlington Heights, we do our best to help our customers find ways to improve their chances of avoiding becoming a victim.
Now-a-days many more people are living alone than any other time. This has been occurring since the mid-90s. We attribute this to more people divorcing, children graduating and heading off to college, and someone buying their first house. People have their own reasons for wanting to live alone, however, they should know that doing so has some challenges and concerns. It is important that you are aware of the threat that you face if you live alone. We can only give you the tools to help you do this but it is up to every individual to decide what they are willing to do in order to avoid an intrusion.
The Plain Facts
Unfortunately, women who live by themselves have a .5% chance of experiencing a burglary. It is also no surprise that most burglaries occur during the day when no one is home. Women have a .4% chance of being affected by a violent crime.
Don’t Give People Personal Information
People who live alone do not have to advertise this to others. In fact, it is in your best interest to give them the impression that you live with someone else. We’re not encouraging you to lie but there it is a good idea to offer others the impression that someone other than yourself, lives in your home. If others know that you live alone, you might become the target of an intruder, without even knowing it. If they find out where you live, they may begin to hang around your home and figure out your pattern of coming and going.
You could also be making the mistake of posting too much of your personal information on the Internet. When you are going on a vacation, don’t post the information about where you’ll be and for how long on social media. This is personal information that is better shared with close friends and family but not via social media. Remember that just because someone follows you on social media doesn’t mean that they know you personally or that you know them. The intruder needs the opportunity to break into you home when you are away. This is why you shouldn’t divulge too much personal information. It would be a lot better to post your vacation pictures after you return from your vacation. If you begin posting pictures, it might even be a good idea to include the current date on the photo so that a would-be intruder will know that you are home.
Even if you live alone in an apartment, you should still make it look as though someone else lives in the apartment with you. When placing your name on your mailbox, use the term ‘resident’ instead of your personal name. Doing this gives others the idea that someone else lives in your apartment. Even if your friends know that you live alone, it doesn’t mean that everyone in the area needs to know. Don’t volunteer personal information to people you don’t know.
Why Get a Dog
Having a dog is the next best thing to having another person in your house. This could pose a problem if you have allergies. However, if you do not, it is a good idea to get a do so that they can scare of any would-be intruder. This can help when you’re home or when you’re away. When you are away, at least your dog will be there to protect your interest. This will minimize the chances of someone breaking into your home while you are away. A dog can simply bark in some instances to scare off an intruder. If you live in a remote area, this is even more important. You may not be a fan of dogs but you have to ask yourself why so many people have one.
Talk to Friends & Neighbors
Make your close friends aware of your coming and going. They can then keep an eye on things while you are away. If they see something unusual, they can let you know so that you can look into the matter. The same is true if you communicate with your neighbors. If they are aware of your pattern of coming and going, the moment they see something unusual, they can bring it to your attention or the authorities in the area. This is one time to that it isn’t a bad idea to make friends with others in the neighborhood. It is good in this case because homeowner’s in the neighborhood can look out for each other’s interest.
Ask Someone to Housesit
When you are planning on being away from your home for an extended amount of time, you can always ask someone to stay at your home while you are away. This will prevent others from knowing that you are not at home. Sometimes, people like to get away from their own environment and they might not mind staying at your home for a while. If you have a pet, this is another reason for asking someone to Housesit for you while you are away. The more often someone is found at your home, the less likely you will become the victim of a home intrusion.
The suggestions offered above are some of the same suggestions that we offer to our customers. They are things that we do without realizing that we may be attracting the wrong attention. Head the suggestions listed above and save yourself the headache of dealing with the results of a home invasion and you’re sure to maintain peace-of-mind.