1. Secure all doors whenever you leave your home. Failing to lock all doors and windows when leaving home, even for a few minutes, is one of the most common mistakes leading to home robberies.

2. Don't leave a note on your door telling people that you are not at home. Anyone who happens by could see it, and your note could become an invitation to a burglar.

3. Leave a light on in one or two rooms when you leave your house at night. This will give your home the appearance of being occupied when you are away.

4. Never leave your garage door opener in an unlocked car. To do so could give thieves access to your garage. If you have an attached garage, you could also be giving thieves access to your home.

5. When on vacation, let a trusted friend know how to get in touch with you in case of emergency. Ask him/her to pick up your mail (unless you have the post office hold it) and gather up newspapers, hand bills, litter, packages, or anything else that could alert a burglar to the fact that your home is unoccupied.

6. Never give out personal information to strangers who call you on the telephone. Burglars sometimes pose as telephone solicitors or conductors of surveys, and if you answer their questions, they can discover the contents of your home. You don't have to answer an unknown caller's questions and you don't have to participate in anybody's survey.

7. Never give the keys to your house to a stranger. If you must leave a key with a car wash or parking attendant leave the key to the car's ignition only. Take all other keys with you.

8. Never have your name and/or address imprinted on a key tag. People who do assume that if they lose their keys the finder will be honest enough to return them. This is a dangerous assumption.

9. Always keep your shades and drapes drawn at night. People who turn on their lights at night without drawing their shades or closing their blinds could also be turning on a burglar. A lighted house with open drapes is like a fishbowl at night, exposing its contents to every passerby.