One of the most painful and devastating experience is that of coming home to find that some uninvited guest was there during our absence. Precious items are missing and moreover all the house is in an indescribable mess as if a tornado visited it.

We may have known for a long time that this could occur; we knew that we should have taken some precautions, but above all we hoped that to us it will not happen.

Which tips should be implemented before leaving?

Close all doors and windows
Leave the impression that somebody is at home
Get the attention of helpful neighbors

It is recommended, before leaving, to perform a routine check of doors and windows to make sure they are indeed closed. The problem is if they are strong enough to discourage burglars from applying their skill to break in.

The name of the game seems to be how best to convince the occasional burglar to exercise elsewhere his/her arts. What really works is visual evidence that the task will not be easy and will take more time to perform than what he/she is ready to invest.

Unless there is proof of an exceptionally high reward of valuable loot or of goods to resell, burglars will probably base the selection of the dwelling to visit on the ease with which they can accomplish their deed.

That is why doors and windows must look sturdy enough to resist any attempt to push them open. Locks should be and look strong and durable. You should know that burglars may check if a door is actually locked by passing a thin card over the lock in the space between jamb and door.

It is not hard to leave a few light on, or to install a clock switch to light them up in the evening. An occupied house is a much less attractive object for a burglar. This is not a foolproof trick because burglars may ring at the door, with a prepared excuse for their call.

But a helpful neighbor might come in handy, if alerted by a bell ringing also at his/her home (it only takes a connection with a selector switch to route the call also to the other apartment).

Just by asking how to help, possibly through a specially set up intercom, the neighbor proves that the premises are under surveillance and that a witness is ready to testify, should something happen. That is usually enough to discourage anybody from pursuing an evil plan.

These easy precautions could be supplemented by a home surveillance system that uses security cameras to record what happens at home when nobody is there. It has remarkable deterring power and could help reduce the premium, if a good insurance is implemented to reduce the damage in the worst of cases.