Home burglary is on the rise because it is one of the easiest crimes to commit. Statistics from every crime bureau support this fact. In addition to the burglary, victims often experience financial problems, and time lost from work to handle the legal, insurance and personal problems associated with being a victim. So, as disturbing as this may be, we homeowners must accept this reality and take action to make our family, our home, and our possessions as safe as possible.

A good starting point is to have an active Neighborhood Watch in place. Members watch out for their neighbors and report suspicious activity to the police. There are other ways to cause a thief to bypass your home and move on to an easier target. These include using quality deadbolt locks, installing solid exterior doors, using motion sensing outdoor lighting, and further methods.

The best choice is to install a home security system. Ninety percent of police believe alarms deter burglary attempts. Now, there is really no excuse for not having a home security system of some type. There has never been a time when such good products have been available at such low prices. It is possible to install a wireless home security system in less than an hour at a cost of less than $100.00. You may be thinking that something this simple must be a toy. Quite the opposite is true. Sophisticated technology has it made it possible to produce these feature packed systems that are so simple to install.

You will probably be able to mount the main components, control console, sounding device, motion sensor, and door/window sensor just by looking at the layout diagram on the box! Most basic system kits include the parts necessary to protect a door or window, a motion detector, a key chain remote control, and the control console and a screaming siren sounding device. So, one hour and you have basic home security protection installed and working.

With the basic system in place, you can further tailor your system to meet your individual needs. You can add additional door/window sensors, motion detectors, outdoor lighting, smoke, fire, or other specialty sensors. Key chain remote controls can be given to your children. In most cases, a siren or alarm bell will scare off a home intruder. Tell your neighbors about your security system, so they will react when they hear the alarm sound. You can make a decision to have your system not just sound an audible alarm, but dial your mobile phone, or dial an alarm monitoring service.

Connecting your home security system to an alarm monitoring company provides you with additional peace of mind. Some people incorrectly believe that burglar alarms directly dial the police. Actually, most police departments will only accept an alarm notification call from a central monitoring station. Excessive false alarms have forced police departments to adopt this procedure. Alarm monitoring is especially great for elderly family members or loved ones with a medical condition. Panic alarms receive special priority over burglar alarms. The monitoring company can notify an ambulance service or dispatch the police. It is comforting to know that no matter where you are, if a break-in occurs police dispatch will be notified of the intruder in your home.

If you are just living as usual, with no security measures in place, you are putting your family, your home, and your property at unnecessary risk. Install a home security system, and make sure that your home is safe and secure.