If you walked into your front yard and took a good look at your house, what would you see? A worn bit of siding, trees that need trimming, old paint on the front door… But what does an experienced home invader see?

You see a sturdy deadlock.

He sees one sturdy deadlock, when all your neighbors have two. Which house will be easier to crack?

You see a ‘Beware of Dog’ sign in the window.

He sees, “My back door is probably open to let the dog out.” Plus, homeowners with dogs or cats are much less likely to activate their alarm systems at night because they worry that a pet might accidentally trip a motion sensor. Best not to advertise your animals.

You see a few, slim openings between curtains.

He sees your calendar, your key hooks and your purse on the kitchen counter. And now he knows exactly when you will be out and where to get a set of spare keys to hold onto until you leave for an entire evening, when he will have lots of time to rummage. In this case, privacy is safety.

With a little foresight, you can outsmart the potential burglar before he picks your home as a target. So take a quick walk in his shoes and then take action.