Did you know that most residential burglaries happen during the day? Why, because today so many people are regularly away from their house. Just try to get someone on the phone who is actually at home during the day. Let's face it, we are constantly on the go. We are either working, doing errands, taking our kids to soccer, music lessons, or you name it. And who else is aware of this -- that's right, burglars.

Police will tell you that many burglaries are opportunistic. Burglars look for clues that tell them your home is just waiting to be robbed. They will compare ppotential benefits and risks before committing the crime. If a thief can tell that there is something of value in your house and that there is little chance of getting caught, guess who is going to have their home burglarized!

What are some things a thief looks for in making his assessment? Most of them are obvious, but we, being so busy, tend to ignore them. Just by taking a few simple precautions you can make your house less appetizing for a burglar. Some examples are:

• Stop leaving money or jewelry on the kitchen table or on the TV. Too many of us do it -- be honest. It's in plain view for anyone who comes to your door or looks in your window. And believe me, burglars are experts at doing this.
• How about disposing of the box that your new, expensive plasma TV came in -- do you put the box outside in the trash for all to see? Why not cut the box up and put it into a bag. Yes this takes a little time but look at the possible alternative.
• How often do you leave your garage door open for all the world to see your tools or other possessions? Even if you are in a great neighborhood there are still people who ride around all day just looking for potential victims. If there is no car in the garage, what does that tell them -- you aren't home. Keep your garage door closed!
• And speaking of garages, if you use a padlock for your garage door, always keep it locked when the door is open, especially is you insist on leaving it open all day and/or all night. Burglars can remove the padlock, have a key made and then replace the padlock where it was. Guess who's going to visit you some night...

Just another thought -- discuss with your kids the importance of home security. Tell them not to brag to their friends about how much money there is in the house or about their mother's jewelry. We all tell our children not to speak to strangers but how about their friends? Thieves come in any size and age. Don't make your home a potential classroom for burglars.

Why do a burglar's work for him? Just by taking a few simple precautions you can discourage a robber from targeting your house.