Cookies under the entrance mat, beads spread all over the floor, invisible paint smeared
on door handles – sounds like either my dog has been in your house, or a starter pack
for when you're home alone during the holidays!
But these and other unusual tips can protect your house – or at least let you know it
was visited while you were away!
1.
One of the simplest ways to figure out if your house got some uninvited visitors is
to stretch a thin unnoticeable thread across the bottom of the front door threshold.
If someone opens the door and steps inside, the thread will be torn and left lying on
the floor.
The only downside of this trick is that you have to be extremely careful while leaving
your own house; otherwise, you'll spoil your own trap!
2.
Leave some crackers or thin cookies under the doormat inside your house before leaving.
Anybody who enters your home in your absence will step on the mat and crush the flat snacks
without noticing a thing.
3.
I bet you have an old smartphone you don't use anymore after upgrading.
If so, download an app that records only sounds on this phone and hide the device somewhere
near the entrance.
Before leaving home, switch on the recording.
This method will only work if you won’t be absent for long because, after a few hours
of constant work, an old phone's battery will probably run out.
4.
If you have suspicions that someone rummages through your things while you're away, take
a photo of everything you have on your table or in your drawers before you leave.
After you come back, compare the picture with what you see.
5.
When leaving your home, carefully place a glass filled with beads next to the door before
closing it.
This way, if someone gets inside while you're away, they're bound to tip the glass over
(if the entrance door opens inward, of course).
The beads will roll all over the floor, and the intruder will surely try to pick them
all up.
Remember to count the beads in advance – that bumbling burglar is unlikely to have found
them all!
6.
Instead of pricey security cameras, why not use a video baby monitor?
Hide the camera in the entrance hall, and you'll be able to see everything happening
near your door online!
A major disadvantage of this method is a limited coverage area - usually no more than 1,000
ft.
It means you probably won't be able to check if everything's ok at home from your office.
But if you have some suspicions, it's a good way to confirm or disprove them!
7.
Leave a glass of water on a rug right behind your entrance door (which, again, opens inward).
When someone opens the door, it'll tip the glass over, the water will spill, and the
rug will absorb it.
If you have a thick wool rug, it's unlikely to get dry any time soon, and you'll find
out that someone was in the house during your absence.
If you're going away for a couple of days, this method obviously won't work because,
well, even the thickest rug will be dry by the time you get back.
8.
Leave the front door a bit ajar, clean the door handles, and spray them with invisible
UV glowing paint.
Since the door has been left open, it won't be a problem for you to get out of your home
without touching the painted handles.
An unsuspecting invader, on the other hand, is sure to leave hand or fingerprints on the
door handles.
When you return home, you'll be able to see these prints under UV light.
9.
To scare burglars away, put alarm signs on all your windows and doors.
I hear you, alarm systems are indeed quite expensive: on top of their own price and the
cost of installation, you'll also have to pay a service contract fee every month.
But I didn't say you'd need an alarm system - I was talking about the stickers!
You know, those signs that read, "Protected by So-And-So Alarms."
If you manage to hold of such a sticker, put it somewhere where it won't look too obvious
but will still be noticeable.
10.
Most break-ins occur in the afternoon when people are at work or school.
Burglars feel safe because their chances of getting caught or identified are low.
Still, before getting inside, they watch houses for some time to figure out if they're empty.
One of the things they pay attention to is cars parked in driveways.
In most cases, it means that someone's home.
If you have an old vehicle you haven't gotten rid of yet, make it useful!
Park it in the driveway to fend off thieves.
Or if your family member isn't using their car, don't hide it in the garage – leave
it outside.
11.
One day you may get a distinct feeling that your home is being "cased" or watched by burglars.
Maybe a stranger comes up to your front or back door and tries the handle.
(By the way, never open it from the get-go.
Keep it closed, but ask how you can help from the other side.
They'll probably make up some excuse about mistaking your house for someone else's and
then leave.)
Anyway, if you're short of money or don't want to deal with all the security camera
technicalities, install fake ones!
They're pretty simple to create on your own, like from old webcams!
12.
Or, if you suspect that a burglar is casing your house, you can pretend someone's inside
at all times.
When you leave, wave and say your goodbyes to some non-existent person inside.
Hey I’ll be happy to be your non-existent person!
Oh wait, I do exist.
Nevermind!
If a burglar is watching, they won't know you're just talking to your couch!
13.
If you're out of town in the winter, ask your neighbors to leave some tire tracks in your
driveway when it snows.
An untouched layer of snow is a sure way to inform burglars that the homeowners haven't
been there for some time.
14.
If you have some electronics boxes and packaging left after buying expensive gadgets, never
leave them on the curb or in your garbage can.
It'll lure burglars to your house – after all, you have a lot of expensive stuff they
can cash in on!
Try to find time to drive these boxes to a recycling dumpster yourself.
If you're mega-busy, cut them into tiny pieces and hide them in your trash or recycling bins.
15.
If you're going away on vacay, keep the process of loading the car as fast and as hidden as
possible.
The best way is to do it is inside the garage with the door closed.
If you have to do it out in the open, prepare everything in advance, and be as efficient
as you can.
If someone is watching you, the abundance of suitcases will give away your intentions
to leave home for a long time.
16.
When you know you're going to be away for a while, go to your post office and temporarily
cancel your subscriptions or ask the post office employees to hold your mail while you're
away.
A paper build-up in front of your door or a stuffed mailbox is an obvious sign that
you ain’t home.
You can also ask your neighbors to collect your mail for you.
If you trust them.
17.
If you're a lucky cat owner, remember that, however beloved your feline is, it can give
you away to criminals!
Burglars know that most cats sit by the window when they're bored with nothing else to do.
It means you aren't home to play with them.
It's better to pass your cat off to a pet-sitting service or leave it with a friend when you're
planning to be out of town for several days.
18.
Keep in mind that if your fairly large dog can get inside the house through a pet door,
a burglar can probably slip through as well.
Equip the pet door with a lock and make sure to lock it every time you're away.
19.
Consider putting large, reflective numbers on your house and mailbox.
It can help the police locate your place as fast as possible if your neighbors call them
to report some disturbance in the area.
However, that can be a double edged sword in case you also throw large and loud parties
at your place, too.
20.
Windows are some of the most common ways burglars get inside a house.
Rid them of this opportunity: plant thorny bushes right under the outside panes.
No criminal will want to risk falling into pointy shrubs!
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