Always lock up everything. Always lock your car, no matter how short a time you plan to park. Don't leave anything in plain sight in your car. Never leave your purse, wallet, or ID in the car. Don't park somewhere and put your valuables in the trunk, there are thieves watching for that so they know which cars to target.

Always lock your house, even if you're only going to be gone for "a minute". Always lock your house when you are at home. Write down all the serial and model numbers of your valuables, ON PAPER*, and put it in a safe place. When I was a kid, the locks we had on the doors couldn't be unlocked from the outside. You could open a door and go in, but the minute the door closed it was locked again. If I remember what brand they were, I'll post it. Don't leave an extra key in a safe place outside. Odds are the thief knows all those safe places and the hollow rock and all the rest of the dodges. He probably knows more than you do. Not all thieves are stupid.

Not picking on you, hon, these are things everybody should and shouldn't be doing. Maybe you you can't stop a burglar, but that doesn't mean you have to make it easy for them. Most thieves like a soft target, don't let that be you.

*(Friend of mine thought he was so smart, kept all his records on his laptop computer. Guess what was stolen?)