Make it Inconvenient for Them
As one former burglar shared on Reddit, for them, time is of the essence. They do not like to spend more than 15 minutes on the inside because it increases their chances of getting caught. It is more of an in-and-out situation for the majority of those looking for a quick buck, they’re not looking to spend hours in the house.
Chances are, they will spend a short period of time inside because they are looking for valuables, and doing so in a slight hurry. They could also have entered looking for something specific. Either way, make it as uncomfortable as possible to penetrate the items they want.