A small investment of time and money can make your home more secure and can reduce your chances of being a victim of burglary, assault or vandalism.Get to know your neighbors. Watchful neighbors who look out for you as well as themselves are a front line defense against crime.
Check the Locks
In almost half of all residential burglaries, thieves walk through an unlocked door or crawl through an unlocked window. Check the following:- Make sure every external door has a deadbolt.
- Secure sliding glass doors with commercially available locks or broom handles.
- Secure double-hung windows by sliding a bolt or nail through a hole drilled at a downward angle in each top corner of the inside sash and partway through the outside sash. Secure basement windows as well.
- Don’t hide keys in mailboxes or under doormats. Give an extra key to neighbor you trust.
- If you have moved into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks.
Check the Doors
Locks aren’t as effective if they are installed on flimsy doors.- Make sure all exterior doors are solid wood or metal
- Doors should fit tightly in their frames, with hinge pins on the inside.
- Install a peephole or wide-angle viewers in all entry doors, so you can see who is outside without opening the door. Door chains are not a security device.
Check the Outside
To discourage burglars from selecting your home as their target of opportunity, make sure to:- Prune back shrubbery that hides doors and windows. Cut back tree limbs that could help a thief climb into windows.
- Light porches, entrances, and yards – front and back. Consider times or motion sensors.
- Keep your yard well maintained. Store ladders and tools inside your locked garage, basement, or storage shed when you’re not using them.
- Clearly display your house number so police and other emergency vehicles can find your home quickly.
- Help the neighborhood stay in good shape.
- Put lights and radio on timers to create the illusion that someone is at home when you are away.
- Update your home inventory, with complete description, serial numbers, photographs or engravings.
What About Alarms?
If you have valuables in your home, or live in an isolated area or a neighborhood vulnerable to break-ins, consider an alarm system.Before you invest in alarms:
- Check with several companies and decide on the level of security that fits your needs.
- Look for an established company and check references before signing a contract.
- Learn how to use your system properly.
Other Tips:
- If you come home and find a screen slit or door forced open, don’t go in. Call the police.
- If you hear a noise in the night that sounds like somebody breaking in or moving around, call the police and wait for them to come. If you can leave safely, do so. Otherwise lock yourself in a room, or if the intruder is in the room, pretend to be asleep.
- Think carefully before buying a firearm for protection. Guns can be stolen and sold to anyone, or captured and used on you or the police. If you do own a gun, lock it up and learn how to use it safely.