I've lived in the same house for 35 years, and it's never been broken into. However, our garage has been hit a total of 3 times during that time.

On the Garage, all three entry points have been the door. It's a steel door, but only a quickset lock. I never really had anything extremely valuable in the garage, and didn't advertise what I did have in there. After a rash of home break in's earlier this year, I decided it was time to strenghen the defenses a little.

My house is actually very secure. All the Windows are up fairly high, and the both doors (front and back) have heavy dute storm doors (that lock) with Steel inside doors that are dead bolted. The Door Jams are very solid.

The basement windows all have aluminum storm screens that are both screwed and sealed with caulking. If they removed these, they would be faced with double layered plexiglas windows.

The basement is sealed off from the rest of the house by an solid wood interier door that also had a dead-bolt on it. Once they are inside the house, however, this door is just a mechanism to slow down the intruder.. and hopefully give me time to get out the front door.

I have installed infrared alarms in the garage now that signal an alarm when there's any movement in the garage, and reinforced the door jam with a hardened steel bar (about four foot long) that goes down the interier jam that is lag screwed in every four inches. This door is abolutely "pop" proof. It would be easier for them to go through a wall that to get this door open when the dead bolt is on.

Finally, I always keep in mind the first rule of all thievery. At it's core, it's all about desire. You steel what you desire, and you can't desire what you don't know about.

I don't have a lot of house guests. I don't throw house parties. I am very selective about what friends I allow my son to bring into my house. I know who they are, where they live and I get a feel for their families. I make it very clear to my son that he does not talk about his "toys", and more importantly, mine. This may come across slightly creepish, but it also serves the purpse of knowing who my kids are hanging out with. Any dilligent parent should do the same.

So in short, don't advertise. Don't make it easy, and layer your defense. You can't stop them, but you sure can slow them down.

And if all else fails.. if they are that determined, you have to decide if taking someones life is REALLY worth your "stuff". I hope I never have to make that choice.