You're not quite sure when or why it happened, but suddenly everyone in your neighborhood seems to have posted proudly in front of their houses a serious-looking sign that announces the presence of a (high-tech, expensive) alarm system. You wonder: Do I need one, too? The truth is, home burglaries aren't all that common — less than 3 percent of U.S. households were victims of theft in 2002. And alarm systems may offer a false sense of security: More than 90 percent of alarms are false, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which collects and analyzes information on crime in the United States.

Chances are, all it takes to adequately secure your home is a common sense strategy and a handful of inexpensive devices you can probably install yourself. You may not get the sign to post in front of your house, but you will know there's no cause for alarm.