Foil burglars with... Venetian blinds? What are your top tips

I was in bed the other night when I heard three loud bangs on the kitchen window.

It was half four and the rain had already woken me up.  I got out of bed and turned on the outside lights, checked all the doors and windows were locked and reset the alarm.

But the side gate was swinging open and I knew it had  been someone testing the alarm sensors on the back window - there's been a spate of break ins in our area recently and this is their MO.  They check the weak spots in the house and then they come back and rob you blind.

But speaking of blind I have the next best thing?

Obviously a dog is the best burglar deterrent ever.  When we were kids we had a beloved Labrador and it was widely acknowledged by all of our neighbours that he had foiled every single potential burglar on our road by barking like a maniac when he heard any one sneaking around at night.

So a dog is the  best.  And an alarm is obviously good - especially a monitored one.  But a Venetian Blind?  Well I'm  firmly convinced that they go some way to helping to protect your home. They're a pain in the ass to get through.  Most burglaries are opportunistic - an unlocked door, an open window and they're straight into your house.

So does it make a damn bit of difference if they really want to get into your house?  Probably not - but let's not make it easy for them eh?

What are your top tips to foil burglars?  And if you've been burgled what happened?