Don’t leave notes on your mailbox or your door.

Illuminate as much of your property as you can.

Install motion detector lights on the perimeter and the back of your house.  These will turn on when movement is detected.  Most can be set to function only after sunset.  

Permanently mark your property somehow.  Engraving works well.  Put a sticker on your door or front windows indicating that your property is permanently labeled.

Use a “Beware Of Dog” sign on your back fence or door, even if you don’t have a dog.

Hide valuables in unusual places.  Consider investing in a safety deposit box.

Don’t leave valuables like your wallet, cash or purse, in plain view of the front door.  

Lock your doors when you are at the other end of the house or in the back yard.  

Keep the number of the police and other emergency services near the telephone.

Tell your neighbors when you are going on a long vacation.  Offer to return the favor for them.

Create the illusion of occupancy.  Use electric timers to maintain lighting patterns as though you were home..

Have your mail and newspaper delivery stopped.  Ask a neighbor to retrieve any promotional flyers from your
mailbox or doorstep.

Arrange to have your grass cut or snow shoveled.

Leave a radio on.  Even better: put the radio on an electric timer with your lights.  

Don’t use your home address on luggage tags.  Use your work address instead.

Keep your shrubbery cut back to that your house and perimeter are visible from the street.

If possible, don’t use a fence that conceals your property.  If you can't see out, others can't see in.

Get to know your neighbors and their vehicles.  

Watch for suspicious activity in your neighborhood.  Consider starting a Neighborhood Watch Program. 

Secure window air conditioners from the inside.

Secure any glass that is less than 40” (100cm) from a door lock.

Exterior doors should be solid, not hollow.  Doors could also be upgraded to metal or fiberglass versions for added strength.  

Door hinges on the outside should have a non-removable, tamper-proof center pin.  

Use a stop bar or a pin to secure sliding patio doors.  

Place hinged security bars on basement windows.  Remember to keep the key or release too nearby for
emergency exits.

Keep upper-level windows closed and locked.

Keep your luxury items locked in a safe or hidden in anon-obvious area of your home.  Burglars look for items that are easy to carry and can turn in to cash quickly.  

Consider investing in a table or desk bolt for stereos, computers, and other larger electronic equipment.