Good question.
Instead of my opinon on what, specifically, to get (others have provided lots of opinions on that already), let's talk about HOW to make those decisions.
Almost all crimes are crimes of opportunity. This is because most criminals don't really want to be caught, so they pick and choose their targets accordingly. It really puts a crimp in they style if they end up getting shot, beat up, or arrested.
So make reasonable choices based on making your apartment (and any occupants) a less desirable place to target. Consider these characteristics/factors:
1. Anything which increases visibility of people in the area.
2. Anything which increases the time a person has to spend in an open area while approaching/attempting to enter.
3. Anything which makes it more difficult to enter.
4. Anything which will draw the attention of other people.
5. Anything which minimizes the ability of someone to determine what's in your dwelling.
I'm sure there are other factors, but those are some pretty good ones.
Ask yourself: "If I were to choose a house/apartment in this area to break into, which would I choose and why?". The answer(s) to that are the areas you need to address.
Consider a typical neighborhood of houses as an example. Given the choice, would you rather break into a well lit house with neatly trimmed bushes or a darkly lit house with lots of trees and bushes to hide an approach to doors and windows? Is the house with closed doors and drawn curtains more attractive, or the one with the huge picture window showing the 72 inch flatscreen that holds parties with loud stereo music pretty frequently? The dark house with no car parked in front, or a lit house that looks occupied?
Any number of methods can be used to address any particular aspect. What works for some people might not be the best choice for you. If you can't have pets in your appartment, for example, then dogs are automatically not an option unless you move.
So, my advice is to read through everybody's opinions here and put them all into perspective for your circumstances using the guidance I provided here.
A SPECIAL NOTE ON WEAPONS:
Weapons aren't "preventive", in the situation I'm talking about. They are tools to be used when all the other measures to prevent/minimize being targeted fail.
While I'm all about people owning weapons for self-defense, one must face the reality of what a self-defense weapon (such as a gun, since this site is about that) is ultimately designed to do...which is to give its owner the ability to apply deadly force under circumstances where personal life, or life of another person, is seriously threatened.
Owning such a weapon for self-defense means you accept that pulling the weapon is a decision to use deadly force on another human being, which could maim or kill them.
To rely on the weapon, or the threat of a weapon, as your sole means of defense is faulty logic. Home and self-defense is a many-layered thing, beginning with self-awareness of your environment and maintaining yourself in the best environment you can.
Hope this helps.
