Steal these expert tips on how to prevent burglars from breaking into your home
22 Signs Your House Is Vulnerable to Being Robbed
Updated on Jun. 11, 2025
Your front door is unlocked
This may seem too obvious to be true, but the majority of intruders come in through a door, and many of those doors are unlocked. Why? It’s easy access, and burglars are all about doing whatever is easiest, says Paulsen.
One in four homeowners confesses to frequently leaving the front door unlocked, and half do it occasionally, according to a Nationwide Insurance survey.
Considering that the majority of home burglaries happen in the daytime, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to the Bureau of Justice, knocking on your front door allows thieves to pose as salesmen or delivery people while covertly checking your doorknob.
Your porch is packed with packages
People stealing packages off your front porch—aka porch pirates—is one of the fastest-rising crime trends. Nearly one-third of people have had packages stolen, and over half of them say they know someone who has, according to a survey done by Comcast.
Having a doorbell camera may deter some would-be pirates, but your best defense is not having your packages delivered to your porch, Paulsen says. “Have packages delivered to your office or to a neighbor who is home most of the time,” he advises. “If those aren’t options, consider putting delivery instructions on the order form to leave the package at a side door or in a special box.”
Your garbage cans are overflowing
Setting the box from your new 60-inch HDTV or high-end gaming console on the curb is basically advertising the fact that those items are in your home.
As electronics are the second thing burglars go for (cash is No. 1), this makes your home a very attractive target, according to the Nationwide study. So buy a cheap box cutter and invest the 30 seconds it takes to break down large boxes and bundle them together so their labels can’t be seen.
Your home is in the middle of the block
Thanks to better lighting and increased traffic, homes in high-visibility places, like on corner lots, are far less likely to be broken into, Paulsen says. There are simply too many potential ways to be seen. But townhomes, houses in the middle of the block and houses in a cul-de-sac are much better targets. This is especially true if your property backs up to a forest, open lot or another unguarded area.
The trick, he says, is to make your house as difficult as possible to access from all sides. “You don’t have to be Fort Knox, you just have to be less appealing to a thief than your neighbor is,” he adds.
You’re on prescription medication
As the opioid epidemic rages, thefts of drugs, particularly prescription painkillers, are on the rise, according to the Department of Justice. People know that those who are elderly or chronically ill often have lots of medication lying around.
So if you are in these circumstances, it might be worth taking extra precautions, such as installing a good home security system, to make your house a less attractive target, Paulsen says.
Your car is unlocked
Fact is, breaking into your car is often the first step to breaking into your home, Paulsen says. Things like car registrations, insurance cards, checkbooks, mail, packages and even pharmacy receipts not only show your home address but can offer big clues to what kind of valuables you may own.
Always lock your car, even if it’s just parked in your driveway. “Don’t keep anything with your address on it in a visible place in your car or in your glove box,” he says. “If you do use the glovebox, make sure it stays locked.”
Your garage door is easy to open
You’d never leave your house keys just lying around in the open, yet many people leave their garage door openers visible in their cars—and your garage door opener is almost as good as the key to your front door, Paulsen says. Another garage mistake is keypads with obvious signs of wear or using simplistic or repetitive passcodes, making it easy for criminals to guess your code and get into your garage and your house.
In fact, nearly 40% of homeowners said they never change their garage codes, according to the Nationwide survey. Keep your openers out of view, pick difficult passcodes and change them regularly. Some newer versions of garage door openers pair with your smartphone, eliminating the need for a separate opener altogether.
Your windows are low to the ground
First-level entry windows are the second-most common entry point for burglars, because it’s relatively easy to jimmy open a window, Paulsen says. And even people who are diligent about locking their doors will often leave a window cracked open, especially in warm weather.
“A locked window is often enough to deter thieves, but if you need some fresh air, install a window jam that will only allow the pane to be pushed open a few inches,” he says. You can also install alarms that let you know if your window is opened or broken while you’re away, he adds.
Your doorbell doesn’t record
Doorbell cameras are popping up everywhere, and at first glance, it may seem like a great way to reduce all kinds of crimes in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, the reality doesn’t seem to support that, with independent research showing no decrease in break-ins or overall crime in neighborhoods that have the cameras, according to research published in MIT Technology Review.
Researchers aren’t sure exactly why this is. But Paulsen points out there is still a safety upside, as long as they’re in good working order. Since they help you see who is at your door before answering it, they are still worth having, if your budget allows.
You’re distant with your neighbors
Make friends with those who live around you, or at least a passing acquaintance, as good neighbors keeping an eye out can be your best allies in home defense, Paulsen says. You don’t want to tell everyone when you’re headed out of town (especially not on the internet), but you do want to tell your plans to your neighbors and your neighborhood watch program, if you have one, so they can keep watch for strange behavior or people they don’t recognize.
Your front yard is untidy
Having an unkempt front yard, littered with door ads, old newspapers and weeds, is a blaring sign that no one is home. It’s one that criminals look for, Paulsen says. If you’re out of town, ask a neighbor to pick up any papers, turn lights on and off and basically make your house look lived in, he advises. Or, even better, hire a house sitter to prevent burglars from breaking in while you’re away.
You post vacation pics
One in four people admits to posting pics and check-ins on social media while out of town, according to the Nationwide survey. And while putting your vacation pictures online might get you a lot of likes, it also notifies a wide network of people that you’re now far from home. This makes your house a prime target for anyone with ill intentions or just an opportunistic streak.
Instead, make sure your social media profiles aren’t public, set your privacy settings to max and wait to post your beautiful beach selfies when you get home, Paulsen says.
Your tool shed is open
Outdoor structures like sheds, detached garages and patios make great targets for thieves, as they’re less likely to be secured and usually contain expensive items like tools, bicycles, electronics and machinery, Paulsen says. Make sure all outdoor structures are secured with a good padlock, he says, adding that it’s worth it to pay the extra money to get a lock that comes with a warranty.
Your neighborhood is new
Criminals tend to target newer neighborhoods and developments, hoping to take advantage of residents who are new to the area and might not be very familiar with it yet. This is especially true if the area is on the wealthier side. In addition, they prey on lower-income neighborhoods, as security may not be as tight.
Close-knit neighborhoods with long-standing residents, where everyone knows one another, are less likely targets. “This is even more reason to get to know your neighbors right away,” Paulsen says. “Give them your number, and make sure you have theirs.”
Your neighborhood has a high break-in rate
Certain neighborhoods are more vulnerable to certain types of crimes, and that is especially true for burglaries, according to the FBI. (The FBI allows you to check property crime statistics for your area by state or by metropolitan area.)
A quick glance at the weekly police blotter (or a quick call to your local precinct) can give you a heads-up on whether cars or computers are the hot commodities in your place, and then you can take specific steps to protect yours.
Your alarm system is turned off
Simply having an alarm system won’t help you if you don’t use it, and 30% of alarm owners admit to not bothering to activate it when they leave home, according to the Nationwide survey. In addition, nearly half reported almost never changing their code (that’s one of those secrets security companies don’t tell you).
Forget the old trick of having a security sign in your front yard—thieves are wise to that game and will still try the doors and windows, hoping you’re bluffing or forgot to turn it on. Instead, arm your alarm every time you go out—that’s how to prevent burglars from breaking in when you’re not home.
Your landscaping conceals your entry points
Tall, lush greenery is great at protecting your privacy from prying neighbors, but it’s also great at hiding burglars, Paulsen says. Thieves specifically target homes with shrubs or trees that grow thickly around the front or sides of the house, so keep yours trimmed away from walls and below window height—even if that means having to wave to Ned and Nancy over your morning coffee. Also, having a well-maintained yard indicates that you’re vigilant about your home and likely paying close attention to it.
Your locks are easy to pick
Time is the most important factor in a successful burglary—the average thief is in and out in less than 10 minutes. Picking a regular door lock is a piece of cake for most experienced burglars, but most won’t want to waste precious minutes messing with a deadbolt or more secure lock, Paulsen says. If it takes them more than a minute to get in, chances are the next house will be easier and they’ll just move on, he says. To prevent burglars from breaking in, install extra locks on all exterior doors—not just the front.
Your door plate is flimsy
The strike plate is the piece of metal that holds the bolt when your lock is in the locking position—and unfortunately, standard ones are very small and flimsy, making your door easy to kick in, Paulsen says. “This is an easy fix, just go to any home improvement store and get a bigger strike plate,” he says. For additional protection, you can purchase a door reinforcement kit for under $100 that will shore up the weak spots that thieves commonly exploit.
Your outdoor lights are off
At night, a burglar’s best friend is a dark home, according to Nationwide’s research. Fortunately, deterring criminals banking on the cover of darkness may be as simple as turning on your outdoor lights at night. Not a fan of wasting all that electricity? Go with motion-activated floodlights, especially in your backyard or dark corners of your home, Paulsen says.
Your mailbox is overflowing
The mailbox is one of the first places a burglar will check for clues the coast is clear. That’s why pausing your mail before heading out of town is a surefire trick for how to prevent burglars from breaking in. It takes two minutes online or on the phone to put a hold on your mail while you’re gone and subvert this signal.
You don’t have a dog
Dog owners, you’re in luck: A survey of 86 convicted thieves found that a “large sounding” dog is the single greatest deterrent to robbing your house, Paulsen says. And that goes for small, noisy dogs as well as larger, threatening-looking ones.
If you can’t or don’t want to have a family guard dog, you can buy a dog barking machine and set it to respond to the doorbell or knocks, or put it on a motion sensor, he advises. “Even a ‘beware of Rottweiler’ sign in your front window can help,” he adds.
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Sources:
- Jacob Paulsen, security expert and creator of Complete Home Defense
- Securiteam: “U.S. Burglary Statistics 2024”
- Nationwide: “Home Theft Survey Summary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics: “Victimization During Household Burglary”
- Comcast: “New Survey Finds Nearly One in Four People Have Had Packages Stolen”
- U.S. Department of Justice: “Burglary and Drug Abuse Link”
- MIT Technology Review: “Ring Says Its Devices Slash Crime—But the Evidence Looks Flimsy”
- FBI: “Crime in the United States, Table 6”
- KTVB: “We Asked 86 Burglars How They Broke into Homes”
