While there are many things you can do to increase the security of home such as reinforcement plates and bump proof locks etc. one of the most effective lines of defense is your neighbors eyes.  If you don’t all ready have one in action you should seriously consider putting together a neighborhood watch program.

One of the unfortunate side effects of a slumping economy is that crime and burglaries tend to increase. But before you go out and get a mean dog or spend an exorbitant amount of money on high security locks and security systems you should first consider your neighborhood at large. Are there conducive conditions that may attract criminals? Look around are the yards well kept? Do people leave the newspapers in the driveways for an extended amount of time? It may sound funny but these are some of the cues that criminals use to identify which homes are left unattended.

CNN reports that burglars masquerade as solicitors knocking on doors checking who is home and and which houses are vulnerable. The best way to prevent such would be crooks is to have eyes and ears on the street watching for unusual activity and reporting suspicious  persons. Since burglars are opportunists the best way to prevent them is to demonstrate that the houses in your neighborhood would be difficult to rob without being noticed.

There are many resources out there explaining how to go about setting up a neighborhood watch such as

Mobilizing a Community With a Neighborhood Watch Program

Another valuable resource is your local police department, if you contact them they will usually come and talk to you and your neighbors about how to go about initiating a neighborhood watch program as wells as what kind of suspicious activity to look out for.

In the end in the unfortunate instance when the burglar gets past the neighborhood watch program it is still a good idea to have quality residential locks and door hardware. A Qualified Locksmith such as Rocklin Locksmith would be a good choice to get the job done right the first time