Stopping Break Ins in 2026 - YouTube Video

There have been an estimated 770,000 break ins this year in the United States. With new tools, new break-in methods, and the dark web, it’s never been easier to be a robber. So how do you protect your home or apartment from thieves? In this video, we’ll go over ways to stop robbers in their tracks, and make them think twice about targeting your house.

1. Own a dog.
   Owning a dog is a perfect way to stop break ins and scare off robbers. 50% of convicted robbers said in a 2017 survey that they would avoid targeting a home if there’s a big, noisy dog. Not only do dog barks intimidate robbers, but they can alert you as the owner that someone is on your property. If you don’t have a dog or don’t want one, you can still put up a Beware of Dog sign to ward off intruders.

2. Lock your doors. It may sound simple, but locking your doors is really important. In over 40% of break ins, the robbers walked right in because the doors were unlocked. So lock your doors! Also, the type of lock is important. Many robbers these days carry around master keys that can unlock any type of keyed lock. Because of this, it is probably wise to upgrade your locks to smart locks that rely on pins, passcodes, or biometrics.

3. Keep your yard illuminated. Robbers thrive in the dark. If you want to prevent break ins, make sure you have adequate lighting around your property so there’s nowhere to hide. Some people prefer lights with motion sensors, and many security cameras - like Cove’s outdoor camera - have these.

4. Get a security system The best defense against break ins is a security system. We’re a home security company, so of course we were going to mention it! So we recommend you get a security system with professional monitoring. What this does is if there is a break in, our monitoring team will notice, and the police will be dispatched to your house very quickly. To ensure the best protection, put outdoor cameras all around your house, eliminating blind spots. Get a doorbell camera to protect your front door and packages. Get glass break sensors and put them by your main windows. These will detect if a window is smashed. Get extra sirens, so you are sure to be alerted if a break in occurs. A great deterrent to break ins is the yard signs and stickers we send you from Cove. Putting these up tells robbers you are protected, and that they should move on to an unprotected house. Lastly, when choosing a security system, make sure it has backup cellular like Cove. Having cellular as a backup prevents hackers from taking your system offline with Wifi Jammers.

5. Hide your valuables. Putting your valuables away and out of sight from windows is the right move. Put jewelry, cash, and other valuables into a safe for extra protection. Close curtains and blinds so thieves can’t see in.

6. Park in view of your security camera. There were over 850,000 vehicle thefts in the United States last year. You can reduce your risk by parking in front of security cameras and motion sensing lights. If you can put your car in your garage, do.

7. Leave signs of life Lastly, when you’re not at home, leave some lights on or the TV on. A lot of robberies can be stopped simply by making it look like you’re home and awake. By creating the illusion you’re home, you might just prevent a break in.

So these were our best ways to stop break ins in 2026. Did we miss anything? Or did we do okay? Be sure to let us know in the comments what you think. This is a new format for us here at Cove and we’re thinking of making a lot more videos like this. Until next time, stay safe out there!