Nashville, TN Crime Information and Alerts

Instructions For Keeping Your Home Safe in Nashville

As the capital of Tennessee, Nashville is home to numerous colleges, recording labels, and health care companies. The city of 600,000 is also a large tourist destination because of its association with country music. While the warm climate and city culture make Nashville a great place to live and visit, the city’s crime rate is also higher than the national average. This is especially true when comparing the rate of property crime. If you’re looking to keep your home protected, or maybe just a little safer, the best thing you can do is think like a thief. Do you know why your home might be targeted? Or, do you know what a burglar looks for once inside? The answers will help you prevent a burglary at your home.

Before a burglar decides to enter your home, he or she will normally scout or case your home first. This means they are trying to determine what you have in your home and how much of a risk the burglary would be. An overflowing mailbox, overgrown grass, no lights on: these are all signals a burglar will use to their advantage. What can you do instead? Light timers are a great way to make your home look occupied even if you’re not home. Also, make sure you keep valuables out of sight – iPods, laptops, money, jewelry, etc. Seeing these things left out in the open will only entice a burglar to come inside.  If you have a house alarm system make sure you display the yard signs and place the decals on your windows. Amateur burglars will usually move on to the next home instead of risk setting off your alarm system.

If a burglar does try to break in there are some obstacles you can put in their way. First, your locks are very important. Proper locks on all doors and windows are essential. More importantly – remember to use them. According to the FBI, nearly 1/3 of burglaries are unlawful entry, not forced. This means, a burglar was able to enter the home through an unlocked door or window. Second, consider a Nashville home security system. A home alarm is a good investment for any size home. New wireless options are convenient, easy to install and the technology is superior to the old hard-wired systems. One final option you have is to camouflage or hide your valuables. A burglar will want to be in and out of your house as quickly as possible. They almost never look in a kid’s room, the basement, or the pantry. Instead, they always go into the master bedroom and grab any small valuable items they can find. Knowing this, hide your jewelry and electronics in a different room.