In Milwaukee, WI, home security isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity. With property crime rates higher than the national average, safeguarding your home can mean the difference between peace of mind and vulnerability. At Bonafide Safe & Lock, we’ve been serving Milwaukee and the surrounding suburbs from our Brookfield headquarters for over 50 years. Our blue-collar roots inform our practical, no-nonsense approach to protecting what matters most: your family and your belongings. Here are the five best ways to secure your home from burglars, focusing on Alarm & Intrusion Systems and other essential measures.
When most people think of home security, they think of alarms. A professional Alarm & Intrusion System goes beyond a simple doorbell chime. It includes door and window sensors, motion detectors, glass-break sensors, and a central control panel that communicates with a 24/7 monitoring center. If an intruder forces open a door or window, the system triggers an alert that not only sounds a loud siren to scare them off but also notifies our monitoring agents and, if configured, the local police. Intrusion detection is just a fancy term for systems that sense unauthorized entry attempts. DIY systems can be hit or miss, but a professionally installed system from Bonafide ensures proper sensor placement, reliable wiring, and instant peace of mind.
Even the best alarm system can’t help if a door or window gives way before it’s armed. Solid-core exterior doors with a Grade 1 deadbolt, a heavy-duty lock rated for the highest level of residential security, are your first line of defense. A deadbolt uses a thick metal bolt that extends deep into the door frame, making it harder to kick in. Complement this with reinforced strike plates—those are the metal plates on the door jamb where the bolt slides in—fastened with three-inch screws that anchor into the wall stud. Don’t forget windows: use pin locks or key-operated window locks to prevent sliding windows from being forced open. These simple upgrades can delay a burglar long enough for your alarm system to react.
Burglars thrive in darkness. Adding smart lighting that turns on automatically at dusk—or when it detects motion—can make your home less attractive to prowlers. Motion sensors are small devices that sense infrared energy (heat) when someone moves within a set zone. Paired with outdoor floodlights or porch lights, they illuminate potential intruders and draw attention. Smart systems allow you to control lighting from your smartphone, set schedules, and even simulate occupancy when you’re on vacation. In Milwaukee neighborhoods where streetlights can be sparse, a well-lit property is a powerful deterrent.
Video surveillance is more affordable and accessible than ever. Modern security cameras use Internet Protocol (IP) to send encrypted video footage over your home network to cloud storage or a local video recorder. This lets you check live or recorded footage from a smartphone app. Placing cameras at entry points—like front and back doors, garage, and side gates—covers the most vulnerable areas. Some cameras include two-way audio, letting you speak to a visitor or scare off a suspicious character. Unlike analog cameras of the past, IP cameras deliver high-definition video and push alerts for motion or sound. For an extra layer of protection, tie them into your Alarm & Intrusion System so a triggered sensor can cue the nearest camera to start recording.
Security is a team sport. Joining or starting a neighborhood watch program fosters communication and vigilance among neighbors. When everyone keeps an eye out—reporting suspicious vehicles, unfamiliar faces on the block, or alarms going off—the entire community benefits. Schedule routine property checks, especially if you travel often. Interior timers can switch lights, TVs, or radios on and off at predetermined times, simulating occupancy. Mail and newspaper holds prevent overflowing boxes that signal an empty house. Encourage neighbors to park in your driveway or walk by when you’re away to keep things looking lived-in. A proactive community can cut crime rates dramatically.
Securing your Milwaukee home starts with understanding the threats and taking practical steps. A professionally installed Alarm & Intrusion System from Bonafide Safe & Lock is the cornerstone of a robust defense, but combining it with reinforced doors, smart lighting, video surveillance, and community vigilance amplifies your protection. Whether you live in Bay View, East Side, or any neighborhood between the Lakefront and 45th Street, these strategies will help you rest easier knowing your home is secure.
The combination lock on our business safe was getting harder and harder to work. BONAFIDE was out in a few days after I called and switched it to a digital! Jay was very knowledgeable and switched it in no time and added lubricant to the hinges! He went through the workings and now our safe is the best it’s ever been!
Had a great experience getting a special key made for my car carrier. Bonafide was the fourth place I went to and they were awesome and made sure my new key worked. Tim was the problem solver and he customized the key so it would work. Very pleased customer and they will be my go to key maker from now on. Thanks for the great customer service, which is hard to find these days. Scott Park
We had a last-minute request and wasn’t sure it could be accommodated on such short notice, but the team at Bonafide went above and beyond. From the moment I reached out, they were friendly, responsive, and eager to help. They prioritized my request without hesitation and made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Their customer service is top-notch especially Gildy—attentive, professional, and thoughtful every step of the way. It’s rare to find a business that not only delivers excellent results but also truly cares about their customers. I can’t recommend them enough. Bonafide is our go to.
This was my first time moving a safe to another location and the crew I had was AWESOME. It was awesome to see people taking pride in their work. They had my safe out of my house in no time. Great crew!!!
Marcus was prompt, polite, reliable, and knew his stuff! He was very kind, and showed us the problem - as well as fixed it! Also, he told us how to prevent it from happening again. I would highly recommend Marcus and Bonafide!
Great first time experience!! Technician was out promptly after service request. Evaluated problem and repaired quickly. My safe works great!!
Exceptional service and value. Great variety of high-quality safes, locks, and security needs. Bought my gun safe from them and look forward to going back should the need arise. Highly recommend!
Bonafide handles our facilities locks, cameras and alarm system. We have always had good service. Sometimes the work is not time sensitive and we let them know that if they are busy to take their time but if it's an emergency they are here promptly usually within an hour or two. my review was prompted by recently we had a mechanical door lock system that was worn out and out of production. The tech was able to find parts from another lock and breathe life back into our worn out lock. I feel their prices have always been fair and I have no hesitation recommending them to anyone.
The folks at Bonafide are true professionals in sales and service of safes of all types. The electronic connections in my safe had degraded during a period of non-use, and I could not get it to power up. Bonafide helped me to get into my safe and recover some time-sensitive documents, and they did in no time at all at a very affordable price. I was also impressed with the paper trail that they provided for the service to ensure that they would not be breaking into a potentially stolen safe. I strongly recommend them if you're changing your door locks or knobs on a home or business, or if you're in the market for safes to keep belongings away from children or burglars.
Great service, got the work done professionally and in a timely manner. I will be calling them again for future needs.
We had a large project that Bonafide handled with exceptional care. They were timely, professional, and impressively organized throughout the process. Their staff made the entire experience so pleasant that I couldn’t stop raving about it. Highly recommend Bonafide for their outstanding service!
Timothy was very helpful and professional!He helped me get additional keys for my shop.I will definitely be coming back in the future! I will be recommending to friends and family!
Great customer service, solid teamwork, and patient problem solving!
Reached out to Bonafide to repair our restaurant pull tab machine lock, and very happy that we did! Within less than a day a technician, Marcus, was here and very helpful. Even gave a heads up call when he was on the way! Highly recommend! Thank you for the help!
