Do Lawn Security Signs Work To Ward Off Potential Burglars?

By Lori Melton

Burglars prowl neighborhoods looking for an easy target. They want quick access, with the least risk of being caught. Finding unlocked doors and windows is a thief's potential jackpot. But, in many cases, if a thief is really determined to get in, they will find a way into your home. So, what can you do to protect yourself? What about posting a security sign on the lawn? Do they really keep burglars from trying to break into your home?

The answer isn't cut-and-dried. They might work sometimes and they could also fail to keep a persistent thief out. So, let's look at the pros and cons of using posting a "fake" security sign in your yard to gage their effectiveness.

Pros

There several advantages to posting a security sign in your yard, even though you don't really have an alarm system installed.

• Security signs are inexpensive and readily available. Amazon, for instance, sells several different security "warning" signs for $10 or less. This is a small price to pay for the "impression" that your home is being monitored by an alarm company.
• They are easy to install. All you have to do is pound the signs into the ground. No elaborate alarm system installation knowledge is needed.
• The signs will deter some burglars. Given a choice between a house with a sign posted in the yard versus one without a sign, chances are a burglar is going to bypass the house with the security sign and break into the one without the sign. Again, burglars are looking for an easy target. So, they are more apt to steer clear of a potentially monitored home.

Cons

While they are cheap and provide a potential additional layer of security, there are also notable disadvantages to relying on "fake" security yard signs to ward off would-be thieves.

• Some burglars are smart enough to recognize "fake" security signs. They may even see if they can find evidence of cameras, keypads, or anything else that would indicate that you really do have an alarm system installed.
• Burglars who are desperate or devious enough won't let the sight of a security sign stop them from trying to get into your home. They may track your comings and goings and look for an opportunity when they know your house will be empty and just break in anyway. If all you have is a sign and nothing to back it up, then a burglar may get in and get away with your valuables undetected.
• You may get lulled into a false sense of security and feel extra "safe" with your "theft-deterring signs" so, you may leave your windows and doors unlocked. All a burglar needs is for you to let your guard down, to give him an opportunity to access your home. This is the last thing you want to do.

Ultimately, security yard signs provide minimal security as nothing more than a possible theft deterrent. They will not help you or alert authorities if you are indeed the victim of a break-in. Therefore, actually installing an alarm system and having your home monitored is always a safer choice. Alarm companies, like Guardian Alarms, offer a variety of alarm systems to fit many different homes and budgets.