Home & Neighborhood Safety

Do you feel safe in your own home? Many people don’t think about it until after a burglary. Prevention is often common sense, but the methods are easily overlooked. According to FBI reports, only one in four burglaries involves forced entry; most intruders gain access through unlocked doors or open windows. Here are twelve tips to keep your family and belongings safe.

1) Take a look around your house from the viewpoint of someone who might like to commit a crime. If you have trouble thinking objectively, ask a friend or neighbor to search for ways a burglar might enter.

2) Be sure your garage door is secured. Do not leave your garage door open. If leaving town disconnect manual release rope.

3) When you aren't home, use a timer to turn interior lights on and off at varying intervals to appear as though you are home. At night, consider leaving porch or outdoor lights on. An alternative is to install motion detectors on your outdoor lights.

4) Make sure ladders are not left out and that all ground windows have locks that work. Even if you’re only leaving home for a few minutes, close and lock windows that are easy to access.

5) Check your doors. If the doors aren’t solid metal or wood, a burglar could easily kick them in. Consider replacing a door that has a lot of glass in it. Deadbolt locks offer the best protection and come in two varieties: one that requires a key on both sides, and one that only requires a key on the outside. If your door has a pane of glass within arm’s reach of the lock, choose a deadbolt that requires a key to open from the inside as well.

6) Make sure that all windows have locks in good working order. If they’re left partially open on a regular basis, the windows should have locks that prevent them from being fully opened from the outside. If this isn’t an option, a simple solution is to install a peg in the window frame so that the window can’t be fully opened. This should be removable, however, so family members can open the window to escape in case of fire. A wooden dowel inserted in the track is also an easy method to secure a window or door.

7) Having a burglar alarm is no guarantee, but since most intruders are amateurs and on the lookout for an easy target, they can be effective deterrents. Often simply having a sign or sticker on the window will discourage a burglar from attempting entry. If you do obtain an alarm, make the effort to be familiar with its features and use it. Make sure the sensors cover all vulnerable areas and are in good working order; also, test the system regularly. Do not, however, use the alarm as a substitute for locks and other means of security.

8) Practice safe habits. Instruct children not to answer the door, especially if home alone, and to say, “My parents are busy,” instead of saying you’re not home, when answering the phone. Likewise, change your answering machine message to say you’re busy and can’t come to the phone instead of saying you’re not home. When strangers come to the door, ask for identification before allowing entry to them. If someone comes to your door asking to use the telephone, make the call yourself. Never let them in your home.

9) When leaving your home for an extended period, make your home looks occupied. Keep a car parked in your driveway if possible. Instead of stopping your mail and newspaper delivery, have a trusted friend or neighbor pick them up for you. Use automatic timers for inside lights, and close curtains and drapes. Turn off the ringers on phones and turn down the volume on answering machines. If your answering machine can be accessed remotely, check the messages regularly and clear the memory; many “beeps” after the message indicate that its been left unattended for a long time. Avoid discussing your travel plans with anyone who doesn’t need to know.

10) Observant neighbors may be your best defense against burglary. Ask neighbors to keep an eye out for your property, and offer to do the same. Ask neighbors to call 911 when witnessing anything suspicious.

11) Don't hide a spare key under the doormat or under a flowerpot. Burglars know all the good hiding places.

12) Manage your valuables. Don't put valuables where they can be seen through your windows, especially items that can be easily carried away. Burglars are targeting the quick, easy, expensive stuff. Jewelry, electronics, guns, sports equipment, etc. They will hit your master bedroom closet and check under your bed, so consider how to keep things hidden and locked down.

Although these ideas are thought to help prevent an unwanted incident, they are, by no means, a guarantee. Your safest bet is to read and learn for yourself the best and most practical ways to guard your family and property. Visit this website often to stay informed as to neighborhood activities. Lastly, call the Sheriff’s Office to report a crime, no matter how small.