1-Do not allow your security concerns cause you to over-react to the overall situation, but do make a conscious effort to cost-effectively harden your home against break-in at the earliest possible occasion.

2-Do the simple, more cost-effective things first, and never neglect the no-cost things.

3-Choose high strength and properly installed physical options over the very sophisticated electronic solutions as your first line of defense, and then decide if you wish the "high end" electronic solutions as a second choice.

4-Never purchase any security options in a state of high emotional stress (for example, immediately after you have been hit !) You are too open to grabbing the first and often the most expensive solutions offered !! Take the time to calculate and compare the overall, total cost of electronic security purchases over the longer term (i.e: total cost = initial installation / purchase price, plus monthly monitoring times number of months under contract, plus factor in several service costs at $50 average per visit over the term of the contract). You will very quickly see the real cost of your choice, as well as be able to better compare offerings before you purchase !!) Also factor in the end of lease purchase price if you intend to go shopping for cheaper monitoring. Remember, an alarm system over a period of five to ten years will cost thousands of dollars - as much of an investment in your home as a new furnace or air conditioning unit would be. So, to repeat, don't be fooled by "free" offers - buy your system and shop around for the best overall, long term monitoring costs being especially careful to build in service and warranty costs in your total cost assessment !!

5-Make sure your insurance coverage is up to date, including "replacement insurance" so that if you do get robbed, the expense will be minimized. Talk to your insurance company regarding the limits of your policy on particularly expensive options you keep in your home (Many policies have ceilings on payouts on certain types of articles not covered by additional cost "riders").

Remember that the true measure of real security of your home is the sum of all the individual steps you have taken to secure it. Security measures are cumulative in nature. The more things you do, the more secure is your home. It is also a fact that the best security in the world can be compromised by forgetting one simple overlooked area which allows the thief easy access into your home. You can't really keep out a thief who has decided that he is determined to enter your home, but this is not the norm, since the average burglar is looking for a quick and easy way into anyone's home - not just yours. The bottom line is that if your home is difficult or risky to enter, the thief will most likely go somewhere else where he can find basically everything that he can find in your home, but without the difficulty of getting in and the chance of exposure !!!

One final point is appropriate considering some of the comments I hear from people who feel they don't wish to do anything in the way of precautions. I often hear..."Why bother to do anything; the kids will get in the house if they really want to!!" Acceptance of this attitude is tantamount to saying you intend to give up and simply hope the problem will pass you by! These same people would never consider driving their car without insurance, or leaving their home unprotected without insurance against fire, yet seemingly won't take even simple precautions against break and enter (which is far more likely). I often compare this approach to that of someone who obliviously walks across a superhighway during rush hour hoping all the while that all drivers will see him or her and be responsible or alert enough to stop..... !!!