We lock our doors and windows, but often fail to properly secure our garage. About 9 percent of home intruders gain access through the garage. To keep burglars out, follow these suggestions.

Don’t Leave Your Garage Door Open. Even if you are home, keep your garage door closed. Burglars who case homes and streets are looking into garages checking for valuables and easy entry points.

Keep Valuables Out Of Sight And Hard To Access. If your garage door is open and valuables are in plain sight (i.e., expensive hand-held tools, machinery, bicycles), a burglar can do a drive-by and quickly grab those items in a matter of seconds.

Lock The Connecting Door From Your Garage To Your Home. We think that if we close the garage door, there is no need to lock the home’s connecting door. The door leading to your home from the garage should be just as secure as your front door—if not more so. Once inside a garage, a burglar can try to break in without worry that someone will see them from the street.

Add Security Software To Your Smartphone. Software can monitor when doors open and close in your home—including the garage door. If you are away from home, you can receive an alert on your smartphone when someone is tampering with the garage door.

Install Security Cameras/Motion Sensor Lighting. Mount security cameras inside the garage in conspicuous but hard to get to places so burglars know they are being watched. Motion sensor lighting in the garage will also scare away most intruders.

Add Security Patrol/Security System To Monitor Your Home. Burglars are less likely to break in if they know the property is being monitored. Announce your security systems with a prominent yard sign.