The Co-operators offers tips to lessen risk of home theft and invasion

The Co-operators has released a list of tips for homeowners to reduce the risk of home invasion or theft. The tips include:•Give your home the lived-in look, set automatic timers for lights and radios, for periods when no one is home, even during the day;•Don’t post your first name on mailbox or apartment buzzer, especially if you’re a woman living along. Similarly, on outgoing messages on answering machines, say, “We can’t take your call now,” and don’t mention your name;•Keep windows and doors locked when they’re not being used, even when you’re at home;•Don’t leave curtains or blinds open at night;•Use the peephole on your door when sizing up visitors;•Arrange for someone to look after your home if you’re away, including picking up mail and flyers so that they don’t pile up.; and•Consider an alarm system. By some estimates, a home protected with an alarm is only one sixth as likely to be burglarized as a home without one.