Tip of the week: How to burglar-proof your home

Keep a low profile. “Clever crooks” will look for a name on a mailbox or on your newspaper, using it to “call 411 and then your number to see if you’re home.”

Enlist the plants. “Trim back tree limbs near your windows” so you can keep an eye on your street. For extra protection, plant pretty (yet painful) rosebushes or cacti around the home.

Flaunt a security system. Homes equipped with security systems are “three times less likely to be targeted”; make sure signs and decals are “plainly visible.”

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Lock up. Install single-barrel dead bolts on all exterior doors. Locks that “use a key on the outside and a lever inside” are safest.

Respect the bad guys. Don’t underestimate a burglar’s intelligence—never leave a key hidden under the welcome mat.

Source: Good Housekeeping