Just like with health and home maintenance, the best kind of cure for home break-ins is prevention. In other words, it’s always more useful to prevent a burglary than it is to catch the burglar. That’s why so many security systems in San Francisco, CA are designed to make potential burglars think twice before they even walk up to the front door. The following security features each have a deterrence effect that can keep your home safe from unwanted intruders.

1. Visible Security Cameras

Security cameras are one of the most effective ways to keep burglars away from your home. A camera can record the kind of vehicle and license plate the burglar uses, it can record the burglar’s face, and it can show you exactly what tactics a burglar uses to get inside. All that information can make it much easier for the police to track down and arrest the burglar, and so many professional burglars will refuse to take that risk and choose another house to target.

2. Alarm Systems

Security companies in San Francisco, CA can provide homeowners with comprehensive security systems that include sensors on the doors and windows, glass-shatter sensors that go off if someone breaks a window, and motion detectors that go off when someone walks through a room while the system is armed. This multi-layered approach is hard to disarm or avoid, and the loud alarm alone can make a nervous burglar turn right around and leave before taking anything valuable. A window sticker with the security company’s name completes the deterrence effect of an alarm.

3. Electronic Locks 

A basic tumbler lock is easy to pick open with the right tools and a little training, and even someone without the training can break down a locked door with a few strong kicks or a crowbar. An electronic lock is much harder to get open, and depending on how you install it you can make it much harder to break the door open. Most burglars prefer to use doors to get in rather than windows, so a set of strong locks on all the doors can make them think twice about targeting your home.

4. Light Timers 

Burglars usually try to target homes when everyone goes on vacation. This gives them more time to grab valuables without having to worry about interruptions. That’s why it’s important to take certain steps before you leave for a long trip, like halting mail delivery and arranging for a house sitter to stop by and mow the lawn. You should also install light timers that turn on the lights in certain rooms to make it look like someone is still at home. Modern timer systems can run patterns and even randomize the timings to make the light timings more realistic.

Your risk of burglary may depend on where in San Francisco, CA you live, but there’s always a chance your home could become a target. You can reduce that chance by investing in the right devices, and by hiring a quality security company to install and monitor your security system, so contact one in your area today.