Picture this: you and your family are returning from a fun-filled vacation, ready to unpack and update the photo album. Only when you get home, you find the front door open, the back window broken, and valuables missing from all over the house, including your "clever" hiding places in the dresser drawer and in the back of the freezer.

You're not alone. Each year, nearly 5 million families become victims of household burglary, often while they've been away on vacation. According to the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA), there are some simple steps you can take to make your home less attractive to would-be burglars. The best way is to combine the list of ideas below with a professionally installed and monitored electronic security alarm system in your home. Before you leave on your trip, pack your sunblock and be sure to:

• Get a trusted friend or relative to "house sit." Or, make sure your neighbors know your plans.
• If you don’t feel comfortable asking a neighbor, ask the local police department. Dependent on officer availability many community police departments will check your home for open doors, windows and smoke.

Burglars Go Shopping While You're On Vacation

• Have a neighbor pick up your newspapers and your mail for you daily, and make sure to include solicitor fliers left on or in the door. (BTW – Be a good neighbor and return the favor)
• Lock all doors and windows, and secure the garage door, including securing the garage door remote – don’t leave it in an unattended car for a burglar’s easy access.  

Your Home Sends Signals

• Leave a car parked in the driveway, or ask a neighbor to park in your driveway. Remove or hide any valuables left in the car.
• Leave a house key -- and a number where you can be reached -- with a trusted friend or neighbor.
• Use timers to turn lights on and off at certain times, altering lighting patterns, to create an occupied look. If possible use sun activated timers since power outages could interrupt an electrical timer. Also be wary of automatic sprinkler systems – sprinklers running during a downpour screams nobody is home.
• Leave drapes and shades open as normal. (Closed blinds during the day are a sure sign of an empty house, plus they allow a burglar to attend to his business unseen by neighbors.)
• Arrange to have your lawn mowed.
• Be sure your trees and hedges have been trimmed. This gives burglars fewer places to hide.
• Replace any burned-out lights in your yard. Consider upgrading outdoor light fixtures with devices that have built-in motion detectors, which turn on the lights whenever anyone walks past.

Personal Experience

As some of you may know this scenario is near and dear to my heart – a childhood neighbor returned from vacation to find their house devastated.

Fast Facts

• Insurance Information Institute warns that there are 2.15 million burglaries every year. More than 65 percent of those are residential break-ins, and most occur in July and August.
• Most of residential burglaries in 2005 for which time of occurrence was known took place during the day, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
  

Special thanks

To the Insurance Information Institute and the Nation Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, and the Texas Burglar and Fire Alarm Association for their assistance with this post

As a long time vetern of the security industry I believe I have solid understanding of what people are interested in when making a decision to protect person or property.

However - I am curious as to what YOU think about.

• What is important to you when choosing a security company?
• Why would you choose not to protect your home or business?
• What turns you off about a security company?
• Have you had a bad experience with a security company - what could NTX learn from that experience?
• How could NTX Security better serve home and business owners?
• Any other thoughts?

You are the boss and we want your opinion!

We all take precautions daily.

• Look both ways before crossing the street.
• Check the date on the milk before we drink it.
• Buckle our seat belt.
• Unplug the iron… or did you?

No matter how you get your news - it is clear that in today’s world, everyone needs security. During the time it has taken you to read to this point someone’s home was burglarized. Thirty years ago, many people did not even lock their door when they left; today we lock ourselves inside, many times afraid of what is outside.

Bad things happen to good people. But we cannot change the world we live in without changing ourselves first. Since it is estimated that homes without security are about 3x more likely to be broken in to than homes with security systems, then the first thing you should change is get a home security system to protect your family.

This also applies to businesses. It is estimated that businesses without alarm systems are 4.5x more likely to be burglarized than a commercial location with a business security system.

Take a precaution by removing your home or business off the “to do” list for intruders by simply picking up the phone and calling 972-358-0178 or ask a home security professional what you can do to protect your family.

It occurred to me recently that I had subconsciously been using a process for solving problems.

What if… What then… What now…

What if - I had a flat on the highway?

What then - I would have to unload a trunk full of junk to find my spare, tools and jack.

What now – I should clean out my trunk to make easier access to the item I would need in an emergency to better prepare myself for that event.

Now it’s your turn.

What if – someone broke into your home or business?

What then - How would that make you feel? Hopefully no one was there during the intrusion, but what if someone was attacked or injured. What would they take – what could you lose that you could not replace? Would you ever feel safe there again? Would you wonder who did this?

What now – What action will you take? Will you take steps to protect yourself or invest in the false belief that it will never happen to me?

There are only two scenarios in which people protect themselves:

1. As a precaution before something happens.
2. In reaction to an event that has already occurred.