Protect your home and avoid becoming a prime target for theft. Take a look at these 5 sneaky ways burglars break into homes.

1. Front Door Unlocked

Burglars look for easy access points. In many cases, the front door is the number one target. Keep your home safe by always keeping front and back doors locked. Even if you’re just stepping outside for a quick 5 minutes or relaxing at home, lock your doors at all times.

Front Door Photo Credit: TriggerPhoto (iStock).

Photo Credit: TriggerPhoto (iStock).

2. Open Windows

Don’t make the mistake of leaving your windows wide open. Burglars typically case homes before planning a break-in and look for signs of easy entry including windows. Secure your home from burglary by locking your windows.

3. Hidden Spare Keys

If you’ve ever been locked out of your house before, it may seem like a good idea to hide spare keys under your welcome mat or flower pot. However, you are taking the risk of keys being found by burglars and easily letting them into your home. Take a look at these dos and don’ts for hiding spare keys at your home.

Keys Photo Credit: UnknownNet Photography (Flickr).

Photo Credit: UnknownNet Photography (Flickr).

4. Garage Door Left Open

Keep your garage door closed. Burglars look for easy access points and a garage door left open and unattended is certainly one of them. Such a harmless act can turn into a home invasion. Burglars can easily enter your home through the garage door or even steal items from inside the garage.

5. Climbing opportunities

Although the main entryways are targeted first, burglars look for opportunities on the second floor as well. Discourage home invasions by properly securing second-floor windows and doors. Never leave anything outside of the home that could potentially be used to easily reach a second-floor window.

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For more safety tips on protecting your home from the risk of burglary, click here.