It’s time to start thinking about ways to prevent your home and family from falling prey to intruders. Here are five ways to transform your home into a fortress against home invaders:

Never Open the Door to Strangers

Steps you can take to prevent this include:

Making a plan for every single time someone rings or knocks. Everyone in the house should know the rule is to never, ever open the door to strangers.

Ask for ID. If someone is delivering something, ask for identification and call the company if you have any suspicions.

Use the peephole. Make sure you have a peephole with a good view of your front porch, and you’ll also want a bright light so you can see who’s there.

Don’t trust a chain latch. An intruder can easily kick the door in and break the chain, so it’s not safe to even partially open the door.

Protect Your House When You’re Away

Many burglars strike when people are on vacation, so it’s critical you take steps to hide the fact that you’re not home. Here are some important steps to take to fool criminals:

Have the post office hold your mail, and ask a neighbor to remove any packages, newspapers or flyers.

Put inside lights on a timer.

Leave a car parked in the driveway.

If you live in a snowy area, have a neighbor make footprints and tire tracks in the untracked snow.

Think Like a Burglar

It’s important to think like an intruder to make sure you’re sending the message that your home isn’t an easy target. Here are a few ideas:

Get a loud dog, or at least use “Beware of Dog” signs outside doors and gates.

Put an NRA sticker in your front window.

Consider getting a shotgun. Not only are they easier to aim, just the sound of cocking your shotgun may scare off an intruder.

Lock Doors and Windows

Unsecured doors and windows are common entry points, so you’ll want to:

Install solid wood or metal doors plus Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolts.

Use heavy-duty brass strike plates, using longer screws to secure them.

Install brackets to keep windows from opening more than six inches, and keep windows locked.

Don’t leave your garage door open. You’re basically advertising things to steal (and another entry point).

Make a Plan

Finally, you’ll want to be sure that you have a family emergency plan. Everyone needs to know in advance exactly what to do in case of a break-in. That means identifying possible escape routes, as well as designating a safe room if escape isn’t an option. Your safe room should have a pair of shoes, a flashlight, cellphone and charger (even a disabled phone can call 911).

It's never worth the risk to take any chances. Do everything you can, while you still can. For more information on how to protect yourself against home invaders, take a look at the American Preppers Network.

Featured Image via Didier ZMI / Flickr