Preventing Break-Ins
Don't have the "It won't happen to me attitude"... For a small amount of time and money, you can make your home more secure and reduce your chances of being a victim.
Most burglars will spend no longer than 60 seconds to try to break into a home. Good locks and neighbors who look out for each other can be big deterrents to burglars.
How To Prevent Break-ins
- Check the doors and locks
- All outside doors should be constructed of solid wood or metal
- The doors should fit tightly in their frames, and should be mounted with deadbolt locks with a minimum 1" throw.
- For your home, install a peephole or wide angle viewer so you can see who is at the door before opening it.
- Sliding glass doors should be installed with a "Charlie Bar" or a wooden rod or broom stick in the door track to prevent entry.
- Check the windows
- Double hung windows may be secured by drilling a downward angled (45 degree) hold through the top of the bottom sash and into, but not through, the bottom of the top sash. Insert a pin or nail into the hole.
- Homes also can be the victims of "Smash and Grab" thefts. The best solutions are to replace old patio doors with new, more secure models. Doors that incorporate laminated glass instead of tempered glass. Tempered glass is designed for safety, but not security. It will shatter and crumble into thousands of small pieces in less than a second with one tap from a sharp object.
- New patio doors—both hinged and sliding—should incorporate dual locking hardware, including both a main lock and a deadbolt for greater protection. Sliding patio doors are especially susceptible to intruders because they can be lifted off of the track. To prevent this, consider installing bolts through your door or verifying that your new door has devices mounted to eliminate this problem.
Check the outside
- Bright outside lighting, especially around doors and windows, is one of the best deterrents to night time criminal activity.
- Trim all bushes, shrubs, trees which may offer concealment around doors and windows.
- Do not park vehicle near doors or windows.
- Have your home street number prominently displayed for quicker police/EMS response.
- If you are going to be out of town for an extended period of time, either stop your mail or paper delivery, or have a neighbor pick it up.
- Leave your curtains in their normal position, and consider purchasing timers that will turn the lights on and off throughout the house. Interior/exterior lights left on 24 hours a day are a strong signal to thieves.
- Consider an alarm
- All homes should have an alarm system. Check with friends/associates who have systems for referrals, then check with several companies on your own.
- Ensure you have adequate protection for your home or business, without purchasing a system far too costly for your needs.
What To Do With Your Valuables
First and foremost, record a complete description and serial numbers of all your valuables, electronics, office equipment, firearms, etc. Stolen property with serial numbers can be entered into a nationwide FBI "hot file," and pawn tickets are regularly viewed by law enforcement agencies.
Photographs with serial numbers or a video of your valuables, can help law enforcement agencies, but even more important, it will be invaluable during the insurance claim. If you take digital pics or video be sure to store this info on a source outside of your home so if you lose a PC you don't lose all the digital info with it.
Become involved in our Hampton Hills Neighborhood Crime Watch.
Report suspicious activity to LPD: Dial 9-1-1 Police would rather you call and have them check a suspicious person, than to have to respond to a crime which may have been prevented.
Posted at: 10:50 PM | Add Comment
