How To Keep Your Apartment And Valuables Safe From Burglaries

By Elana Goodwin on May 30, 2014

This article is brought to you by the Uloop Housing search service. Ready to make the move off campus? Search through the Uloop housing listings to find your next apartment, condo, town home, or house for rent.

Crime is inherent in the United States; it’s an unfortunate fact of life. Living off-campus at college in an apartment or house increases the probability of a crime occurring to you so being careful and cautious is crucial.

One of the biggest worries off-campus livers need to be concerned with is burglary, as oftentimes apartments or houses are less secure and less monitored than dorms. Here are some tips on how to prevent your house or apartment off-campus from being burglarized and how to keep your stuff from being stolen.

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Firstly, when looking into your options for living off-campus, check out the crime rates in different neighborhoods and talk to your potential landlords about problems people have had living on their properties. When checking out a prospective apartment or house, knock on your would-be neighbors’ doors and ask about their experience living in the neighborhood and if they’ve had any issues with the landlord or with crime, etc., in order to make a knowledgeable decision about where you live.

One of the easiest and best ways to prevent your apartment or house from getting burglarized and keep your stuff from getting stolen is not to advertise when you leave your house, whether it’s to go home for the weekend or to go out at night. Posting on social media where you are or that you’re leaving your home gives potential burglars inside information about whether your home is safe to hit.

Additionally, posting pictures of you somewhere while you’re there also relays to anyone who can see that picture that you are not at home and it may be unoccupied. Waiting until you are home to post a picture or tweet about where you were or limiting who can see it to trusted friends may be a safer option.

Another method to keep your stuff safe is always keep doors and all windows locked, especially when you’re at home by yourself, sleeping, or leaving the place. Even if you are home during the day, your door should still be locked.

Having blinds on windows, in particular the first floor and basement ones, is also a good idea so people outside can’t see into your home and windows should be kept covered at night. Further, try to keep items put away, especially valuables, and out of sight from the windows. Also, leaving a light on somewhere inside the apartment or house when you leave is another smart technique as it gives the appearance of someone being inside.

A great way to deter burglars is to post a sign advertising a home security or alarm system sticker on your door, in a visible place on a window, or if you live in a house, in your front yard by your door. While this isn’t a guarantee that robbers won’t still try to hit your place and test your “system,” it may prevent some burglars from attempting to enter your home as they fear setting off an alarm. If you are planning on living in one location for more than just a year, talk to your landlord about the possibility of putting in an alarm to further protect your stuff.

You also shouldn’t put your name or address on your key ring as if lost it tells the person exactly where you live and provides them with a way to get into your home; if you lose your keys, you should also look into getting your locks changed as another precaution.

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Whenever possible, if you are leaving your apartment for extended periods of time, like for an away weekend or winter break, take whatever valuables you can home with you. Making a list of all your valuables, cell phones, laptops, jewelry, cameras, TVs, etc.–and taking pictures of them as well as writing down their serial numbers and any descriptive features–is also a good idea.

Also, while this won’t prevent your stuff from being stolen, see if any of your more expensive valuables can be insured, either under your parent’s insurance policy or under renters insurance. This way if something is taken, it’ll be cheaper for you to replace.

You should also get to know your neighbors so you can recognize more readily if someone is lurking around your home or apartment complex and doesn’t belong. Being friendly with your neighbors can also be helpful as if you’re going away for a while, you can ask them to collect the mail so you don’t broadcast to others that someone is not home to pick it up.

While you can’t necessarily stop a burglar from stealing your stuff, you can take precautions to better guard your belongings and prevent burglars from targeting your home and taking your things. Use some of these tips to increase your safety in your off-campus home as well as the safety of your valuables and sanctity of your apartment or house.

Make your next move easy by finding a place to live near campus using the Uloop Housing search service full of students needing Roommates and Sublets or people ready to rent you a great Apartment or House.

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