CAR
Thieves can unlock your car without your key
The problem: If your car unlocks when you walk up with the key in your pocket, thieves can work in pairs: one stands near your front door with a device that picks up your key's signal from inside the house and passes it to a partner at the car. The car thinks the key is right there.
The fix: At night, keep your keys in a metal tin or a signal-blocking pouch. Test it: put the key inside, walk to the car and pull the handle. If it stays locked, you're protected.
2 min About $10
CAR
Your garage remote is a key to your house
The problem: A remote clipped to the visor of a car parked in the driveway means a car break-in can turn into a house break-in: press the button, the garage opens, and most people never lock the inside door.
The fix: Bring the garage remote inside at night, or use the keypad or phone app. And lock the door between the garage and the house every night.
1 min Free
CAR
Anything visible is a reason to break a window
The problem: Car prowlers look through windows for bags, chargers, coins and jackets. A cable on the seat can mean a laptop in the trunk.
The fix: Leave the car completely empty in view, every night. If something has to stay, put it in the trunk before you arrive, not after you park.
1 min Free
HOME
Garage doors can be opened with a coat hanger
The problem: A bent coat hanger pushed through the top of the garage door can catch the emergency-release cord and open the door in seconds.
The fix: Put a small zip tie on the emergency-release lever. It stops the hanger trick, and you can still snap it by hand in an emergency.
2 min Under $1
HOME
A sliding door latch is a piece of plastic
The problem: Factory latches on sliding glass doors can often be forced or lifted. If the latch is your only lock, the back door is the weak spot.
The fix: Drop a wooden dowel or a security bar into the bottom track. Even if the latch is beaten, the door can't slide open.
5 min $5 to $25
HOME
Doorbell cameras sit too low
The problem: A doorbell camera at about 4 feet is easy to beat with a hoodie or a hat and a lowered head.
The fix: Add a second camera mounted higher, around 9 feet, looking down at the door. It catches the face the doorbell misses.
30 min Varies
HOME
Dirty motion lights stop working
The problem: Pollen, dust and spiderwebs on the sensor can stop a motion light from turning on when it matters.
The fix: Wipe the sensors clean every few months and walk past them at night to make sure they trigger before someone reaches the door.
5 min Free
HOME
Your ladder is their way in
The problem: Ladders, tools and step stools left on the porch or in the yard give a thief everything they need, including a way to a second-floor window.
The fix: If it isn't bolted down, put it inside or lock it up at night.
5 min Free
HOME
Your old listing photos are a floor plan
The problem: If you bought your home recently, the listing photos may still be online, showing the layout, the windows and the back yard.
The fix: Claim your home on the real estate sites and ask them to hide or remove the old listing photos.
10 min Free
HOME
Most break-ins start with something left open
The problem: An unlocked car, an open garage or a dark porch is the easiest target on the street.
The fix: Do the 9 PM Check every night: cars locked, garage shut, doors locked, outside lights on. Thirty seconds. Print the free checklist below.
30 sec Free
APARTMENT
Taped or magnet-blocked doors in shared spaces
The problem: Some intruders put tape or a strong magnet over the latch of laundry rooms and side doors. The door looks shut, but it never locks, and they come back later.
The fix: When you leave a shared room, pull the door until you hear it click. If it doesn't, check the frame for tape or magnets and report it to the office.
5 sec Free
APARTMENT
Holding the door lets strangers in
The problem: Most people who get into a secured building just walk in behind a resident.
The fix: Don't hold the gate or front door for someone you don't know. Point them to the call box or the office instead. It's not rude, it's the point of the lock.
0 sec Free
APARTMENT
Packages left in hallways disappear
The problem: Packages sitting in hallways or by mailboxes overnight are the easiest theft in any building.
The fix: Use a package locker or the leasing office, schedule deliveries for when you are home, and pick packages up the same day.
2 min Free
BUSINESS
Overgrown bushes hide break-ins
The problem: Thick bushes next to ground-floor windows and doors give someone a place to work without being seen from the street or by a patrol.
The fix: Trim bushes below window height and keep a clear line of sight to every entrance.
1 hr Low
BUSINESS
Gaps in the fence become a regular way in
The problem: Cut wires, bent panels and dug-out spots under fences turn into a nightly shortcut once someone finds them.
The fix: Walk your fence lines once a month, photograph any damage and fix it fast.
20 min Free
BUSINESS
Dark corners invite trouble
The problem: Burned-out bulbs over doors, dumpsters and parking lots create the dark spots people look for after hours.
The fix: Check exterior lighting once a month after dark and replace dead bulbs right away. Put the most important lights on timers or sensors.
15 min Low
