HOUSTON – A thief has already made it into your home, so how do you stop them from leaving with your valuables?
Experts say it's always a good idea to separate the costume jewelry from the more expensive items that you have.
Consider a safe, good place to store pricey or priceless items, whether it's personal information, jewelry or even guns.
It's hard for burglars to break open a safe. A lot of times they don't have the know-how, and safes are very heavy. The thieves are trying to get as much as they can as fast as they can and move on.
You should also have a safe place for yourself in case you're ever home when a thief breaks in. The majority of burglaries happen during the day.
Experts recommend that you have what's called a safe room that you can retreat to in times of danger. And if you have a deadbolt lock on your bedroom door, it will buy you time.
Officers recommend you stay in that room during a burglary.
Also, never confront a burglar, because you never know how they're going to react.
An alarm system is a great deterrent, but there are also inexpensive ways to protect your home, like trimming bushes and hedges so burglars can't hide.
Check the doors and windows to make sure they're secure.
Install a peep hole and never open your front door when you don't know who is knocking.