How to Protect Your Home & Business from Looters

Typically, when we have riots, it makes us all uneasy. While we understand the frustration involved, most of us would not think of going outside and burning up businesses in our neighborhoods and injuring innocent people. This mentality develops when people see their anger as an opportunity to steal and destroy property.

So how do you protect yourself, your family, your home, and your business from these opportunists? We will give you a few recommendations.

1. Plant bushes around your perimeter – Thorny or tangled bushes that are hard to get through are best. Make sure to plant them in front of windows so easy access isn’t available to looters.
2. Board up windows – If there is rioting in your area, board up your windows to prevent them from being broken and/or broken into.
3. Get a dog – If you cannot have a dog due to allergies, put a large food dish on your porch, or a sign up warning people that you have a vicious dog . Nothing says “stay away “ better than a grumpy dog.
4. Weapons – Make sure weapons are properly stored from children—but to have something you can protect your family with is vital during a riot. You will want to make sure that what you do have is not stored back in a closet somewhere, but is easily accessible, and even on your person, if your state allows that.
5. Warning signs – They are not as effective as the people that sell alarm systems would like you to think, but sometimes alarm signs can make an opportunist think twice before going near your home. What works best? You will have to make that decision. Whether you get a “beware of dog” sign, or “private property” is completely up to you.
6. Lights – Make sure you have plenty of lighting around the perimeter of your home. Motion sensor lights are great and can alert you that there is someone in a specific area. Guarding your home should be done with great care, as you do not want the lights tripped when you are outside checking that nothing is going on. Make sure you set the lights up to come on where you want, and make sure you are walking or sitting where you cannot trip them off.
7. Motion sensor cameras – These are inexpensive nowadays and can be easily set up to have eyes where you don’t. Make sure you look into the range and how effective a picture they capture. Also make sure you can download and save data from them in case you need to use it later in court. Do your research and you will have great security even if you are not there.
8. Keep windows and doors locked – Start a nightly routine of going around your house and making sure all windows and doors are locked. Looters and burglars are opportunists and leaving one window unlocked may mean the difference between your house being safe or not.
9. Get advanced warning – If you have a driveway, there are plenty of motion sensors that will let you know when someone has breached an area on your property. Look into sensors and invest in one. Having those few extra moments of warning could save your life or property.
10. Do not advertise your wealth – Keep cars in the garage and leave anything expensive out of the glaring eyes of looters. Move expensive lamps, jewelry, etc. are out of sight from a window, and lock everything valuable up that you own. Invest in a safety deposit box for things that are very valuable, and make sure everything else is completely out of sight of potential looters.

Most of these tips will work well for your home or business. You should have safety measures in place for both, along with a back up plan in case anything goes awry. For example, you can board up your windows at your business, but also having a motion sensing camera inside is wise in case intruders get through the boards. Do not assume one layer of protection alone will work. Have a plan B.

In order for opportunists to strike your home or business they simply need the time and desire to do something, make it difficult for them to use this opportunity to take from you and your family.