It's true that people do things a little bit differently in the country than they do in a crowded city.
After all, if you're someplace where the whole county consists of maybe five farm houses, life is a little different than where thousands of people are crammed into one little block.
These wide-open spaces are part of the reason that many people decide to switch to a less hectic life in the country, but sometimes, urban misconceptions lead to rural troubles.
For newcomers who aren't used to living in the country, the sense of freedom and security can often undermine steps they should be taking towards the same level of home security they enjoy in a city.
While it is obvious that with fewer people comes a decreased chance of someone breaking into your home, this is no reason to act carelessly or assume that there is no need to do commonsense things, like shutting and locking doors and windows when leaving the house.
Robberies happen in the country just like in the city, but they're just done in different ways.
A crucial step towards home security in your new country home is getting to know your neighbors, even if their actual houses are far away.
A neighbor is going to be able to see things that you don't from their property's vantage point, and that can be a crucial aid to keeping your home safe and secure.
Keep them in the loop about your comings and goings once you know and trust them, and help them out in the same way that they are assisting you.
For example, I know of one Arizona farmhouse where the family had a dog, but took the dog on vacation with them.
Yet a van that was labeled dog walking service pulled up in the driveway the very next day, and it was only because a neighbor had asked in passing if the whole family was going on vacation that they got suspicious and called the police, who helped catch the robbers.
People are clever when they break into country homes, so you need the help of trusted neighbors to prevent situations like this one, which are all too common.
Another important step towards home security in a more rural area to consider is the need to lock things up no matter where you are spending your time.
Even if you're just going for a jog or out to fix a fence, it is important to lock your doors and windows, and that includes any vehicles you have on the premises.
There are drifters who make their living just by finding farm equipment and automobiles on country property where the owner is off in another corner of the field and the keys are right in the ignition.
Don't line up a perfect robbery for someone: use common sense.
If you aren't a full-time resident of the country yet, then it's important to consider the good that a home alarm system can do you while you're out of town.
Just like having a good relationship with your neighbors, an alarm allows an immediate response if something does look like it's going wrong.
Even if the nearest police station is far away, an alarm will offer incentive for robbers to not spend too much time in the house.
The same thing that makes robbing out-of-the-way houses desirable also makes it easier for crooks to get caught: if there's one simple country road for miles and miles and the land is flat, the cops catching up with them is a whole lot easier.