

Set timers for your lights, TVs and radios to mimic human activity.During the day, turn off your outdoor lights and leave your alarm system on.This is when your neighbors come into play - particularly retired folks who stay at home, Felson finds in his studies. But most people are not aware of this and turn off their burglar alarm systems during the day, Felson says. You can also tell them if you're out on vacation so they can look out for you, like Nolan did.Īccording to FBI statistics, most residential crime actually occurs in daylight. "Motion detectors are the best, but again the question is guardianship - are there people around who are likely to see, or would the offender think he will likely be seen?"Ī good way to reduce home burglaries, according to Felson, is to introduce yourself to your neighbors so they'll be familiar with who goes in and out of the house. "If you're in a rural area, you're basically in a secluded area - you're better off turning off because the lights would help an intruder actually see," Felson says. Outdoor security lighting is effective if there are people - neighbors, pedestrians or police - to actually see suspicious activity. Marcus Felson, Texas State University professorįelson says indoor lights can deter burglars from breaking in, but they often break in anyway after knocking on the door to see if anyone answers. Motion detectors are the best, but again the question is guardianship - are there people around who are likely to see or would the offender think he will likely be seen? Motion-detecting lights are also intended to add a layer of security.

Some studies have shown that less crime occurs along well-lit streets.

"Then they also say if you keep your lights on you will stick out.Stick out because I can afford the $8 to keep my lights on? Does that mean I have more valuable items.or does it mean I am smarter than my neighbor?" a user asked in a City-Data forum regarding his porch lights. Scouring through online forums will give you two contradictory answers: Leave your lights on, and burglars will think someone is home turn your lights off, then burglars won't be able to see what they're doing. You stop in your tracks and wonder: Would a burglar choose to break into your dark house or your neighbor's brightly lit house? As you stumble your way through the living room, you glance at your neighbor's house, where light is peeking through the windows. Leaving your lights on at night might not be effective at deterring crime if there is no one around to see it, research shows.
