Residential burglaries are usually crimes of opportunity. Burglars carefully determine the ease of entry, visibility to neighbors and the location of surveillance devices.
Upon approaching a potential target, criminals attempt to determine whether a home is occupied or vacant, the potential value of property within the home and likelihood of being noticed.
Lighting, both interior and exterior, is a remarkable deterrent. Properly installed and aimed exterior lighting tends to dissuade burglars from approaching your home. Motion-sensing lights, installed near the perimeter of your property, often startle would-be burglars and encourage them to move on.
Interior lights controlled by automatic timers give the appearance that residents are at home. Lights left on in a hallway DO NOT imply occupancy and tend to be ignored by criminals. A room utilizing a timer, with closed curtains, provides an illusion of habitation.
If installing new exterior lighting fixtures, consider placing the bulbs at a height that makes it difficult or impossible for burglars to remove or easily shatter.
Additionally, consider the effect that lighting has on nearby neighbors and passing vehicles. Bright lighting aimed into a neighbor’s home or directly into the eyes of drivers may create problems and/or unsafe conditions.