Hello! My name is Jen Allen and I work in the marketing department for Security First Alarm in Portland, Oregon. I'm married and we have two dogs and a little one on the way. Because of our growing family, security has taken on a whole new meaning to me—security for our little one, security for our belongings, the desire to feel safe in our home while my husband is at work or while we are sleeping has grown more important to me. The following tips are things that I've learned that can help prevent burglars from targeting your home.

You just bought a home in Portland and are so excited to live in the city. A city has so much to offer—like live music, culture, diversity, people, the best restaurants, and endless entertainment. You know, however, that a city can have high crime rates, but that doesn’t mean a city has to be more dangerous.

Here are some ways you can protect your home and family from robberies.

If you work during the day, be sure to lock all of your doors and windows. Also, don’t leave a car on the driveway that has a garage door opener on the inside.
If you are home, open your windows so a potential burglar would be able to see that there is someone home and walking around. If you normally do this, leave your blinds open while you are gone running errands. You don’t want to make anything look of of the ordinary.
Hide your spare key in a better place than around your door or under your doormat. If you really want to see if it is hard to find, have one of your neighbors or friends try to find it.
Some robberies happen at night, so increase the amount of lighting outside. Burglars want to be able to hide behind bushes and in dark areas so they can remain unseen. If they can’t be in darkness, it is more likely they will skip over your home.
If you are planning on going on vacation, don’t post your plans or updates on social media until after you are home. If you want more tips on extra precautions you can take while you are on vacation, check out this blog post.

While these are all great practices, they still may not stop a robbery. Having a security system installed on your home, however, could. When asked, 83% of burglars said they specifically checked to see if the house was armed with a security system and 60% said they would change their mind if there was. People have also found that putting the home security sign on your lawn can deter robbers. Additionally, on the off chance that a robber does not notice you have a security system and your house is broken into, police will have a much easier time catching the suspect and will have hard evidence to use against them in court.

While looking for home security options, you’ll want to be sure you pick a reputable company. There are many different types of security options and you’ll want to find one that fits your needs and budget. You can also look into a security system that you can access and control from your smart device for your convenience. This will also allow you to stay in the know or make changes while you’re not home.

Once your security system is installed, you can rest easy knowing you and your family are safe and secure!