NYPD Crime Prevention Tip: Leave the Lights On to Keep Burglars Away

The article below was provided by the NYPD's Crime Prevention Bureau: 

Many people ask, 'How can I keep my house safe from potential burglars?'  

Here are a few tips about home security lighting to help prevent any break-ins to your home:

Keep the outside of your home well lit. This can help to deter any would-be criminals by shedding light on all possible areas of entry into your home. It can be done with some flood lights or some well-placed landscape lighting.

Keeping your front porch light on while you are away can give the facade of being home even if you are on a week-long vacation. This can be achieved by purchasing a timer that will turn the lights on and off at certain times of the day that can be set differently for each day to give the illusion that you are home.

Keep some random lights on in different rooms via plug in timers. Having lights go off and on at random times throughout the house will make it seem like the house is in use or someone is at home working. This is a huge deterrent to any lookouts or criminals that may be out. Make sure the lights you choose are in areas that can be seen from the street or as someone approaches your home.

Set up motion sensor lights on the outside of your home. Placing the lights on sections of your home can not only let you know when there is movement, but let your neighbors know as well. 

Schedule a free crime prevention security survey of your home - the NYPD's Crime Prevention Section will perform a detailed survey of your home or business at no charge and provide you with additional recommendations.

For more information, please visit our website or call us at 212-614-6741. You can also e-mail us at communityaffairs@nypd.org for additional information.