7 ways to keep thieves out of your garage

It’s a Saturday afternoon and you’re putting your tools away in the garage. You pay no attention to the guy walking down the street, assuming he’s a neighbour. But he’s really a burglar, and he’s eyeing your Makita drill and mitre saw. He knows from experience that, like most people’s homes, your garage probably isn’t as secure as the rest of your house, and he can take advantage of that.

That burglar isn’t wrong. Most people worry more about their grandmother’s heirloom jewellery getting stolen than they do about their leaf blowers and power tools in the garage. But, as one of the most vulnerable and lucrative parts of your home, your garage is a prime target for theft.

These seven security tips will help you think like a burglar so you can secure your garage and beat burglars at their own game.

More brazen burglars don’t mind prowling around your home in broad daylight, but they’ll still take advantage of the cover provided by a well-placed tree or bush near your garage door or window.

Make sure neighbours and passersby can see everything going on near your garage by clearing away large trees and shrubs and keeping entry points visible from the street. Planting small thorny shrubs under ground-floor garage windows can discourage burglars from breaking in that way.

Not all thieves go in blind for their steal. Most scan your home for clues that they’ll hit a jackpot. An uncovered window showing all your high-value garage goodies can be just the motivation a burglar needs to settle on your house for their next score.

Interior curtains or blinds work well, but if you want to let light in (and not have to worry about remembering to close the blinds) consider using an adhesive window covering material like this matte privacy film.

Don’t keep your automatic garage door openers somewhere easily visible in your car. Thieves know that a garage door opener remote is basically like another key into your home, and they won’t hesitate to use it if they find it.

Consider treating your garage door opener more like a key by attaching it to your keychain with the rest of your important keys that you can keep with you at all times. Another option is to get a smart garage door opener to open and close your garage door from anywhere via your smartphone.

Burglars love a good side door where they can do their breaking and entering away from the prying eyes of neighbours. Most exterior garage service doors with standard locks can be defeated with a solid, well-placed kick, but a few simple changes can keep a burglar out.

Toughen up your exterior door security with a deadbolt, and remember that your door’s weakest point is the strike plate, where the lock meets the door. Replace the strike plate with a reinforced one, and use longer screws to secure it.

As you’re beefing up your garage security, don’t forget about the door that leads from your attached garage into your home. Losing power tools or bikes is bad enough, but once a burglar gets access to the rest of your house, you run even greater risks.

First and foremost, always remember to lock this entry door. A fancy deadbolt or sensor won’t help much if your door isn’t locked to begin with.

To further secure this door, we recommend reinforcing the door’s strike plate and hanging a solid core door with a deadbolt. Your garage entry door is also the perfect spot for a standalone door sensor.