There’s no doubt about it. If you want to keep your home safe from break-ins, you should have good locks on all doors and windows and ideally have an alarm system in place.

But home security doesn’t end with locks and alarms. There are other less obvious ways to keep your home safe. For example:

• Install exterior lights with a motion detection feature. A light suddenly going on will almost always send a potential intruder away.
• Look for – and, if possible, eliminate – potential hiding spots around your property.
• Always leave some lights on in your home when you’re away for an evening.
• Never announce that you’re on vacation or otherwise away from your home on social media sites. (Ask your kids not to do this either!)
• Don’t leave tempting valuables where they can be easily seen through a window.

In addition to good locking systems on doors and windows, simple precautions like these will significantly lower the risk of a break-in.