Burglars won't find your home an "easy mark" if they are forced to work in the light, if they have to take a lot of time breaking in, or if they can't break in without making a lot of noise.

Research shows that if it takes more than four or five minutes to break into a home, the burglar will go elsewhere. Most insurance companies provide 2 percent to 15 percent discounts for devices that make a home safer-dead-bolt locks, window grates, bars and smoke/fire/burglar alarms. However, when improving the security of your home, don't exchange security for personal safety. Don't make your home such a fortress that you are unable to escape in case of a fire or other emergency.

Check your home for weaknesses and correct them

• Take the time to "case" your house or apartment, just as a burglar would. Where is the easiest entry? How can you make it more burglar-resistant?
• Trim trees and shrubs near doors and windows, and think carefully before installing a high, wooden fence around your back yard. High fences and shrubbery can add to your privacy, but can also be an asset to a burglar. Consider trading a little extra privacy for a bit of added security.
• Force any would-be burglar to confront a real enemy-light. Exterior lights and motion detectors, mounted out of easy reach, can reduce the darkness a burglar finds comforting.
• Simple security devices-nails, screws, padlocks, door and window locks, grates, bars and bolts-can increase the amount of time it takes to break into your home.
• Invest in a burglar alarm. The most effective ones also ring at an outside service.

Are any of your valuables-paintings, a silver collection or a computer-easy to see from outside the house? Rearranging your furnishings might be advisable if it makes your home less inviting to criminals.

Simple security steps:

Doors: Make sure you have strong doors. Outside doors should be metal or solid hardwood, and at least 1 3/4 inches thick. Frames must be made of equally strong material, and each door must fit its frame securely. Even the most efficient lock, if it is placed in a weak door, will not keep out a determined burglar.

A peephole or a wide-angle viewer in the door is safer for identifying visitors than a door chain.

Sliding glass doors present a special problem because they are easy to open, but if you have these doors, you can find special locks for them. A broomstick in the door channel can also help, but cannot be depended on.

Locks: Deadbolt locks are best. They usually are locked with a key from the outside and a thumb turn on the inside. The cylinder (where the key is inserted) should be pick-resistant. Ask your hardware dealer for a reputable brand or buy your locks from a locksmith.

Windows: Key locks are available for all types of windows. Double-hung windows can be secured simply by "pinning" the upper and lower frames together with a nail, which can be removed from the inside.

For windows at street level or on fire escapes, consider installing metal accordion gates.

Home security habits:

• Establish a routine to make certain that doors and windows are locked and alarm systems are turned on.
• Avoid giving information to unidentified telephone callers and announcing your personal plans in want ads or public notices (such as giving your address when advertising items for sale).
• Notify the police if you see suspicious strangers in your area.
• Don't carry house keys on a key ring bearing your home address or leave house keys with your car in a commercial parking lot or with an attendant.
• Don't hide your keys in "secret" places outside your home-burglars usually know where to look.

Vacation tips:

• Leave blinds open in their usual position.
• Have mail and packages picked up, forwarded or held by the post office.
• Lower the sound of your telephone ringer and answering machine so they can't be heard outside.
• Arrange to have your lawn mowed in summer and your walk and driveway shoveled in winter.
• Stop newspaper deliveries.
• Ask a friend to pick-up "throw-away" newspapers and circulars.
• Use automatic timers to turn lights on and off in various parts of the house at appropriate times. Consider connecting a radio to a timer.
• Tell police and dependable neighbors when you plan to be away and join with your neighbors to keep a close watch on what's happening in your area. Working closely with them is a good way to prevent crime.

Source: Insurance Information Institute: