How to Reduce Risk of Burglary Through Your Garage

No one wants to think about break-ins, unlawful intrusions, and burglary, but the fact is, these events occur more frequently than we’d like—even in neighborhoods thought to be safe.  Your garage is an access point for burglars.  With often neglected man doors, easy to access windows, and sometimes open garage doors, your garage is the ideal entryway for burglars to break-in. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), nearly two thirds of all property crimes occurred in or near the home of household members.  Narrowing the focus to garages, consider that the BJS states that 17.6% of reported property crimes between 2004-2008 occurred in a homeowner’s own dwelling, attached garage, or enclosed porch.  That’s an astounding 969,010 reported crimes. If you’re beginning to panic, knowing that your garage is not the most secure area of your home—don’t.  There are ways to quickly and effectively reduce the risk of burglary through your garage.

Keep Them in the Dark

Limiting visibility seems like it wouldn’t do much but guess again.  The simple addition of privacy film to garage windows and garage door windows is an effective way to stop burglaries before they’re so much as a thought in a criminal’s mind.  The psychology of this action is simple: burglaries won’t tap your home for a break-in if they aren’t able to see the potential score let alone execute a plan to do so. You can pick up privacy film at your local hardware store and online for under $10.  If you’re replacing your garage door and thinking of adding windows, the manufacturer can add durable privacy glass.

Block the Opener Cord

Every garage door has a cord that disconnects the door from the chain.  Manufacturers have these cords so that in an emergency, like a power outage, you can manually lift the door and access your garage.  Of course, burglars are aware of garage door cords and use this as a convenient loophole to break inside.  They’ll yank the cord from the outside, often with the aid of a coat hanger wedged between the top of the garage door and its trim. Eliminate this option by either with an accessory called a garage shield.  It’s a metal plate that’s installed on the garage track apparatus that blocks the ability to reach the garage cord.  The face of the metal plate is wide enough to stop a thief with a coat hanger in their tracks.

Shed Some Light

Burglars don’t want to be spotted because it means getting caught.  So while you limit their visibility on the inside of the garage, illuminate your home and the garage area with plenty of light.  Spotlighting your home with a motion-detecting light will dissuade thieves from coming near, and even better if they can’t see inside with visibility-limiting window film.

Put Eyes on the Garage

Technology has allowed us to monitor and protect our home, so why not the garage?  Using cameras that double as motion-detecting lights is the perfect solution in reducing burglary risk.  Garage cameras, like Ring, sends notifications, alerts, and appropriate neighborhood warnings directly to your smartphone so you can receive instant updates on the status of your home. Utilizing the latest residential security cameras is probably the smartest way to reduce the risk of break-ins, although it’s not necessarily the cheapest.  The Ring floodlight camera can run you about $250.00, a large expense compared to the quick fix of glass privacy film.  However, the ability to check in on your driveway at any time no matter where you are, as well as logging all activity that occurs in your driveway (or for the Ring doorbell, in front of your home), guarantees a feeling of comfort and protection.  If something does occur, you’ll have video evidence and the chance to stop a break-in on the spot.

Upgrade Your Remote

Some homeowners are stuck using that old fashioned remote control, but as soon as it’s swiped by a thief, they’ll have access to your garage any time they want.  It’s convenient to leave your garage remote tucked beneath the visor of your car or in a reachable spot on the dash, but you won’t have to sacrifice this convenience if you upgrade your remote opener. Much like garage security cameras that double as bright flood lights, technology has dramatically advanced the design of a remote opener.  Automatic openers are available now as easy to use and carry keychain remotes.  Another excellent option is a smart garage door opener, in which you’d skip right over the need of a physical opener and instead use your smartphone.  You’d never have to wonder if you left the garage door open and thus, stop break-ins from occurring when you’re away.

Secure Exterior and Entry Doors

Get in the habit of ensuring all doors going into your garage and into your main house are locked.  You don’t need to purchase any fancy technology, it’s just a matter of getting the habit of locking your doors.  Even if you live in a neighborhood where locking your doors isn’t a way of life, do it anyway.  Burglaries can happen to anyone and anywhere, but a locked door can stop a burglar in their tracks.

Detached Garage Builders

At Danley’s, we can build a new safe and secure garage to protect your valuables. We have served Chicago and suburbs since 1959 with custom size detached garages that range from any size. Speak to a specialist and get a free quote online today!