THINK LIKE A BURGLAR

Take a walk around and ask yourself “how would I break in if I were a burglar? Besides the obvious “lived-in” look, don’t get into a habit of only doing certain things when you’re not home. Chances are good you can tell when your neighbor isn’t home. Remember it’s a burglar’s job to know the same things. Most professional criminals can tell nobody’s home at least four or five houses away.

Several dead giveaways that you are not home include:

• Always closing the drapes ONLY when you’re not home.
• Having no garbage cans out on collection day, or an empty can sitting out days after collection.
• Closing up the house during the hot summer months without the air-conditioner running.
• Turning on only a certain light or two yet leaving other rooms in total darkness.
• Picking up all the kid’s toys, taking in the dog, and turning off the lawn sprinkler.
• Turning on the “burglar light” (the light over the kitchen sink). It’s like a sign saying you’re not home!
• On your answering machine never leave a message that you’re not home. Instead say you can’t come to the phone right now. (If no answering machine, turn down the volume on phones before leaving so it can’t be heard from outside.)
• Put the ‘calling forwarding’ feature on your home phone and forward it to your cell so you can take all calls as if you were home.
   

EFFECTIVE BURGLAR DETERRENTS

• A dog is one of the best deterrents. Not because it’s vicious or even seen, but it has to be heard. A menacing bark will scare away many would-be burglars because a noisy dog will create a disturbance and attract attention. If you don’t have a dog – pretend.  A Beware of Dog sign, a dog house in the back yard, etc. Don’t use a cheap electronic “dogs” that barks non-stop if a intruder trips a relay. Most experienced thieves are familiar with these devices and won’t be fooled.
   
• Electronic devices that can effectively augment your alarm systems are: infrared or motion detectors that sense movement or the heat given off a body. Anyone approaching too close can trigger any number of attached devices. The most effective are powerful lights or burglar horns.
   

SECURING DOORS

• All exterior doors should be of solid hard wood or steel reinforced. A good door does no good if the door frame is in bad shape or of inferior construction. Pay special attention to the door jams. Most are made out of cheap pine. It doesn’t take much force to “kick in” the door, even if protected with dead bolts, if the strike plate is attached with 1/2 or ¾ inch screws. Install 2-1/2 to 3 inch screws in all exterior door jams. Screws should go at least 1-3/4 inch into the underlying framing lumber. Use heavy duty strike plates or a door reinforcement kit.
• Sliding glass doors are a favorite target. Guard against the door being lifted up and out by installing several screws into the door’s upper track. Open and shut the door through its entire range to allow just enough of the screw’s head protruding to allow free movement without allowing the door to be removed. Devices can be installed into the door’s upper or lower track that act like a dead bolt by running a heavy pin through the door track and deep into the frame. Just having a length of old broom handle at a 45 degree angle in the door track can prevent the door from being easily forced open.
• Your garage door is easy to break in through unless you have a electronic door opener. These devices are inexpensive  (around $150) and make it practically impossible to force open the overhead door from the outside. Be sure to change the security code from the pre-installed settings. They almost always set to zeros. If you notice your door open and you’re sure you shut it, one of your neighbors may have set his opener to the same code. Change your setting.
   

SECURING WINDOWS

Burglars break windows as a last resort. The preferred method of using a window for access is cutting an access hole or slipping in a thin stiff wire and undoing the latch. Most double hung windows have cheap locks, which should be replaced by heavy duty sash locks. An old trick is installing a small eyebolt in either corner. If done correctly the window can’t be opened from the outside with the eyebolt in place. The safest windows are glass block. Although impossible to break through, they can’t be opened and are not as pleasing to look at. They are a good choice for basements or areas at or near ground level.
Household Inventory

No matter how secure your home or business is, if a professional burglar has targeted you and is determined to break in, the unthinkable may still happen. To aid law enforcement agencies and greatly assist in insurance claims you should maintain a detailed household inventory of all your valuables.
 

• Mark important items with some permanent identifying mark. Engrave serial numbers, a driver’s license number or some other unique marking into your valuables. Reduce the chances of someone walking off with your TV, VCR or other valuables if it has a conspicuous ID number that can’t be removed. It also makes it a lot easier to trace and
• With a video camera, video each room and record the contents from several angles. Take close-ups of important items. In a clear voice identify each item, the date of purchase, price paid and model and serial numbers. Update the tape every time you purchase something new. A regular camera also works. Make an audio recoeding to go along with it. It’s important that the tapes or pictures be kept off the property to prevent them from being stolen or damaged.
• Contact a crime prevention specialist at your police agency. Ask about an on-site crime prevention survey of your home or business.

 HOME SAFETY CHECKLIST

• Have you arranged to have member of a law enforcement agency do a professional survey?
• Are all trees and shrubs pruned and well maintained to prevent anyone from hiding unseen?
• Do any trees, down pipes, lattice work provide easy access to upper floors?
• If you have skylights can they be removed from the outside or easily broken?
• Any ladders, tools kept outside to assist any potential intruder?
• Are you guilty of keeping a hidden house key outside the house where it’s sure to be found?
• Is your home well lighted with particular attention to exterior doors?
• Can your main entrance be seen from the street?
• Are exterior doors at least 1-3/4 inch thick and made from solid wood or reinforced with metal?
• Do all exterior doors have a heavy duty dead bolt and reinforced door jams?
• Can anyone gain easy access through a mail slot, dryer vent, or pet entrance?
• If doors have glass panels can someone break through and defeat the locking mechanism?
• Have all sliding glass doors been protected from being easily lifted out from their frames?
• Are all exterior lights and security devices in good working order and protected from breakage?
• Does the door from the attached garage leading to the house have a dead bolt?
• Does your overhead door have a working electronic door opener?
• Does your overhead door have any loose, broken or missing door panels or hardware?
• Do you keep the overhead doors closed, and your car locked inside the garage?
• Do all windows have reinforced locking devices that can be secured in the open position?
• Do all screens and storm windows have reinforced locks?
• Do ground level windows have guards or grates?
• Are basement windows glass block or protected by grates or security devices?
• All irreplaceable items kept in high quality fire resistant safe or in off-site safety deposit box?
• Do you have a complete and current video recording or pictures of all your valuables off-site?
• Are all firearms kept secured and apart from ammunition?
   

Here are 8 ideas of where to locate a secret compartment to hide your valuables.

WALLS - Walls are hollow, there can be hidden space behind every wall in every room. The ideal spots are behind solid, fixed items, like coat racks. Hollow out a compartment.

Make sure you camouflage your handiwork well.

BEAMS - Ceiling and wall beams are popular architectural features in homes. Make one of the false beams (one which doesn’t offer much support) moveable, and hollow an opening out of its top or back side.

BASEBOARDS - Choose a short section of board, and carefully pry it away from the wall with a crowbar. Now hollow out a hole, and replace the baseboard.

PANELING - Your best choice is behind actual boards nailed to the wall individually, not behind the four-by-eight sheets.

MIRRORS - Behind a full length mirror on a closet door., hollow out a compartment, mount your mirror with sliding tabs.

FURNITURE - A simple approach is to remove the molding of a table or desk, and make a hollow.

BOOKCASE - The lowest shelf is usually raised above the ground level several inches, and is enclosed with a base-molding. Make the lowest shelf removable.

HOUSEPLANTS - Seal your valuables well in plastic if they can be water damaged.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME WHILE AWAY

GOING TO THE MARKET OR OUT TO DINNER? Never leave notes that can inform a burglar that your house is unoccupied. Make certain all windows and doors are secured before departing. An empty garage advertises your absence.

When going out at night, leave one or more interior lights on and perhaps have a radio playing. Timers may be purchased that will turn lights on and off during your absence. Do not leave door keys under flower pots or doormats, inside an unlocked mailbox, over the doorway, or in other obvious places.

WHEN PLANNING VACATIONS OR PROLONGED ABSENCES – Discontinue newspaper, and other deliveries by phone or in person ahead of time. Do not leave notes.

Arrange for lawn care and have someone remove advertising circulars and other debris regularly.

Notify the post office to forward your mail or have a trustworthy person pick it up daily.

Inform neighbors of your absence so they can be extra alert for suspicious persons. Leave a key with them so your place may be periodically inspected. Ask them to vary the positions of your shades and blinds.

Do not publicize your plans. Some burglars specialize in reading newspaper accounts of other people’s vacation activities.

If you find a door or window has been forced or broken while you were away, DO NOT ENTER. The criminal may still be inside. Use a neighbor’s phone immediately to summon police.

Do not touch anything or clean up if a crime has occurred. Preserve the scene until police inspect for evidence.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO – Lock before you leave.     Trust a neighbor with a key. Be a concerned neighbor – yourself.
 

HOW TO REDUCE CRIME IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

You, working with neighbors can help reduce the crime rate. Working together, you can get the criminals off your block and out of your area. There’s safety in numbers and power through working with a group. You’ll get to know your neighbors better, and working with them you can reduce crime, develop a more united community, provide an avenue of communications between police and citizens, establish on-going crime prevention techniques in your neighborhood, and renew citizen interest in community activity. Neighborhood Watches and “Citizens Safety Projects” are set up to help you do this. It is a joint effort between private citizens and local police.

These organizations don’t require frequent meetings. They don’t ask anyone to take personal risks to prevent crime. They leave the responsibility for catching criminals where it belongs – with the police. This is NOT a “vigilante” group:

These groups gather citizens together to learn crime prevention from local authorities. You cooperate with your neighbors to report suspicious activities in the neighborhood, to keep an eye on homes when the resident is away, and to keep everyone in the area mindful of the standard precautions for property and self that should always be taken. Criminals avoid neighborhoods where such groups exist.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE A VICTIM OF A CRIME

911 SYSTEM – If you have an emergency involving the safety of life or property, you are encouraged to make use of the 911 system. In most areas, you may dial 911 from a pay phone without the need for coins.

BURGLARY – If you arrive at your home or business and feel that it has been burglarized, DO NOT ENTER; go to another location and call the police. Let the police search the property to make sure that no suspect is still present. Upon entering your home or business, do not touch things unnecessarily as you may disturb or destroy fingerprint and other evidence. Tell the police if you have engraved any of the items with your driver’s license or other personalized number.

ROBBERY – Never resist if you are the victim of a robbery. Do exactly as you are told to do in order to minimize your chances of being injured and to speed the departure of your assailant. It’s always a good idea to have a second billfold with a few dollars and a few important looking cards in it to give to an attacker should the need arise. Keep your real cash and cards in an interior pocket not easily accessible by the robber. Do not resist any attempt the attacker may make to search your pockets, however.
 

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES

Inscribe your name or a number on the most valuable items in and around your home. Before you do this, check with local police to see which they prefer you use – your name, driver’s license, social security number or whatever.

Engraving your name or number on your valuables helps deter robbery in two ways: First, you discourage the thief since marked property is much more difficult to sell. Second, if a thief does steal your property, it is much easier to catch and prosecute him when he is discovered with goods in his possession that are easily identifiable as stolen. Items already marked with a serial number – such as cars, TV’s, cameras, typewriters, radios, stereos, tape decks, appliances, etc., may not have to be engraved with your name or personal number. Check with local police first. If they recommend you inscribe your identifying mark on serialized items, inscribe this information just above the manufacturer’s serial number.

To protect smaller valuable items such as jewelry, silverware, etc., it is wise to take a photo of each item. A simple, instant-type camera photo is sufficient, but if you have a digital camera, you can keep a whole inventory on one CD.

After you have marked and/or photographed all your valuables, make a detailed list of these items and keep it in a safe place. When new items are acquired, add them to your list.

As other valuables are sold or discarded, cross them off the list.

If you use credit cards, they should also be recorded on your list. Either copy your account number from each card and expiration date, or you can have photo copies made for your records.
A Security Survey

Many local law enforcement agencies will provide a free “walk through” of your property. The purpose is to identify all potential trouble spots and determine what steps can be implemented to improve the overall security of your property. Sometimes off-duty police officers will do this kind of work for a nominal fee.