Secure your home at the property line

A home intruder generally looks for two elements when selecting a home: he has to be able to get in and out quickly, and he must remain unseen. If either one of these conditions doesn't exist, usually he will move on to the next house. A great place to slow down an intruder and expose him is at the property line.

Products you can purchase:

• Perimeter lighting
  Many burglars prefer the cover of darkness. By keeping your property well lit at night, you take away their anonymity, forcing them to find another target. Make sure your lights illuminate darker areas like back doors and windows, shrubbery, walkways and entrances to your garage and basement.
• Motion sensors
  When linked to your outdoor lighting system, motion sensors will startle an intruder by instantly drowning him in light. You can set the sensitivity of most motion sensors so that lights go on when necessary.
• Timers for interior lights
  If you're going away on vacation, put timers on your interior lights. Look for timers that stagger when your lights go on from day to day. This will prevent a pattern from being established. From the sidewalk your home will look occupied, encouraging burglars to move on without trying to break in.
• Security cameras
  Security cameras are usually associated with businesses like banks and convenience stores, but many people use them for their home defense. Cameras can be linked to a VCR in your home or to a security company that will send help immediately.
• Maximum Security deadbolts
  For your most important line of defense, make sure you install deadbolts on every entry door to your house. The deadbolts you use on your home should be Grade 2 or higher, offering the best security. Schlage's Maximum Security deadbolt has Grade 1 security features at a Grade 2 price. If you have a garage attached to your home, make sure there's a deadbolt on the door linking your house and garage.

There's more you can do. Part of the fun of owning a home is experimenting with your home's image. While you're making your home as attractive as you can to your friends and neighbors, you can make it equally unattractive to intruders.

• Join a Neighborhood Watch
  One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to secure your home at the property line is to turn on the eyes and ears of your neighborhood. Community policing programs, like Neighborhood Watch, have shown great success in reducing property crime around the world. Burglars know when they're being watched. And they don't like it.
• Don't advertise your absence
  Put away items like sports equipment, lawn mowers, portable grills and bicycles. If you leave your possessions outside, burglars may start to wonder what you have inside.
• If you go on vacation
  Have your mail and newspaper delivery stopped and arrange to have your yard maintained and your driveway shoveled. Notify a neightbor or friend that you will be out of town and ask that they keep a watchful eye on your house. Ask them to park in your driveway or parking space to make it appear that you are home.
• Lock your car while it's in the driveway
  Always lock your car when it's in the driveway or parked in front of your house. Not only will you protect your car, you will prevent anyone from stealing your garage door opener, which would give them easy access to your home. Make sure that you include a deadbolt on the door leading from your garage to your house, in case anyone gains entry to your garage.
• Trim hedges and shrubs
  The worst thing you can do is give an intruder a place to hide while breaking into your home. Keep all of your bushes trimmed and your hedges low.
• Secure your windows
  A common entry point for burglars is a ground level window at the side or rear of the house.

Strong perimeter security makes an intruder's job as hard as possible. Use any of the tips above and you'll go a long way toward making your home off limits to criminals.