A garage is a very vulnerable point for thieves, and attached garages are a favorite entry point for intruders. This is because a thief or intruder can slip into your garage and be hidden away from neighbors, and they can easily steal something out of the garage itself and be gone before you even realize someone is on your property. Note the following four simple but often overlooked tips for increasing security around a garage on your property.

1. Obscure the view

Thieves and intruders like to see a space before they break in; this is to know where and how to break in, and to see if you have anything worth stealing. A good deterrent is to cover the windows of a garage. If you still want sunlight in, such as when working in your garage on the weekends, use a frosted film that you can cut and peel and apply to the windows; this blocks a person's view but still lets in light.

2. Block the windows

If there are windows on the garage itself and not just the door of the garage, you may want to block them. It's easy for a thief to break the window and then crawl in over a shelf or workbench you might have under the window. To prevent this, block the windows with chicken wire or another type of wire mesh grid. You can buy this at any home improvement store and can easily screw it into the sides of the window. This is a quick fix that secures this entry point even if someone should break the windows.

3. Replace a broken door

When a garage door is broken, it's much easier to open by thieves and intruders. Note that it doesn't take much space between a door and the door frame for someone to slip inside, and if a metal door is bent or rusted, a thief can easily bend it so that they have room to enter. If a door is broken off the tracks, this too makes it easy for someone to pry it open. Replacing a broken door is a good way to ensure security for your garage.

4. Lock the door from the inside

The door handle of your garage probably has a very small and cheap lock, which can easily be broken with a hammer or rubber mallet. A good way to increase security is to add a lock to the inside of the garage door so it can't be accessed by thieves. A sliding deadbolt lock can be easily installed by a locksmith and can keep your door more secure.