If we hear about a burglary, perhaps in our own neighborhood, it increases the fear that we ourselves may get a visit from a burglar. This is a natural reaction.
If we are away from our home for the day, perhaps at work, we might even spend the day worrying what we might find when we arrive back home. If a house on your block got broken into what is there to stop your house being burgled is the reasoning you may make. This reasoning is actually quite healthy, if you fear being burgled you may take steps to prevent it from happening.
However, fearing burglary too much is not healthy, worrying too much about being burgled could stop you from living a happy and enjoyable life. You could end up a prisoner in your own home if you convince yourself that criminals are waiting to break in if you even think about going out.
Not giving any consideration at all to the fact that many homes do get burgled and yours could be one of them is, on the other hand, extremely foolhardy. Taking the attitude that you need not take any home security precautions will likely mean that you will come home to find that you have had a visit from the bad guys.
Home security precautions do two things, they reduce the likelihood of a break in and they reduce your fear of a break in.
Taking reasonable steps to protect your home improves the chances that a burglar will leave your home alone and look for one less protected. Installing a capable alarm system will go a long way to decrease the chance of coming home to find that you have been burgled. Likewise the knowledge that you have effective locks fitted to your windows and doors will help you to feel more secure. Joining and actively participating in your local neighborhood watch is one of the most effective things you can do to avoid being a victim. Neighbor looking out for neighbor helps reduce the fear of burglary.
You are not the only one that knows fear. The burglar fears being caught. He knows that the longer he takes to burgle your home the greater chance he has of being caught. He knows that the more noise that he makes when breaking in to your home the more it is likely that the police will be alerted. He knows that the more he is exposed the greater chance he has of being spotted.
The more you can increase the burglar's fear the less you are at risk, and the less you are at risk, the less fear you have. Increasing the burglar's fear and reducing your own must be a good thing.
There is nothing that you can do to completely take away the risk of being burgled but if you have a good home security alarm system the burglar will likely fear setting it off. If you have good quality locks fitted the burglar will likely fear it will take him too long to defeat them and he will make too much noise doing it. If you have good outside security lighting and have your neighbors looking out for you the burglar will fear being spotted.
It may not be a good thing to be completely unafraid of burglars, it could make you careless, but good home security precautions can help reduce your fear so that your life is less impacted by it. And good home security precautions can increase the burglar's fear so that he leaves your home alone.
