DENVER (KDVR) — Residential security systems are a big business, with concerned homeowners spending more than $53 billion globally in 2020.

Reports posted on the Denver Police Department website show crime in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood was up more than 28 percent between January and September of 2020, compared to the same time period during 2019.

Engineer and security consultant Russell Wilde, owner of Home Security Centers spent 35 years developing top-notch security strategies for homeowners.

Wilde tells the FOX31 Problem Solvers there are several factors to consider before choosing a home security system. The most important is that the system monitors all of the home’s entry points.

“If you’re on a budget, you use what we call motion sensors on the inside of the home to pick up somebody moving around,” he said.

Wilde adds that it should be obvious to vandals and thieves that you have a home security system. A home that looks unsecured or empty for long periods of time can be welcoming for criminals.

“For those out to burglarize, as far as they’re concerned, it’s a smorgasbord,” he said.

Video doorbell surveillance systems are a proven deterrent but Wilde warns criminals will ring the doorbell several times to determine whether anyone is actually home. 

“A typical burglary always starts with someone thinking that your home is unoccupied,” he said.

Security company signs and stickers in the yard do their part as well. 

Wilde explains, “Five percent of the homes will be a target of a burglary in a year. You put up the signs of stickers, and hopefully the alarm system behind it, and you drop that risk level down to a quarter of one percent.”

Wilde tells the Problem Solvers homeowners should shop for a fair price, which is about $1,500 for 2,500 square feet of property.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a deal that doesn’t involve a contract. Always check out the company with the state business registry and get a referral from someone you trust.