It is better to keep someone out of the house than have to encounter them inside.
Put a fence around the property.
Don’t keep fancy cars or personal property outside in view.
Know your neighbors.
Install two camera systems: a cheap one in view that they may steal/smash, as well as a second, better, hidden one that captures their every move.
Place motion activated lights in key points around your house.
Have a guard dog.
If you can’t have a dog, put a ‘beware of dog’ sign on the fence anyway. Also, keep a dog bowl full of water/food in semi-plain view.
Window locks
Reinforced door jambs to prevent your door from being pried open.
Defensive deadbolts
Extra long screws in door hinges to prevent your door from being kicked in.
Metal security doors
Infrared motion sensor activated light and alarm
Alarm system, even a sign of an alarm in the front yard
Wooden dowels at night in the sliding glass door tracks as well as sliding window tracks
Shatter proof glass
Automated lights and radio/tv when house is unoccupied
Cancel newspaper and put a hold on mail when you will be away for a few days.
Know your mailcarrier/ups driver.
Get a security consultation.
Set of two safes, one that you will empty when a gun is pointed at your head, full of enough treasure to satisfy the criminal; the other safe stays hidden which keeps the best stuff.
Hide valuables in a variety of places - plain sight, the wall, the junction boxes, the floorboards, etc. This will slow down the ransacker.
Develop a code word with your family or roommates that will indicate it is time to spring into action.
