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RESIDENTIAL SECURITY
In residential communities, uniformed guards can offer personalized security
services and can monitor vehicle traffic, forewarn residence of approaching
visitors, respond to civil disputes among residents, patrol the common property
and routinely check recreational areas such as swimming pools and club houses.
This assures against misuse of such facilities and property. Additionally,
depending on the side of the community and security needs; uniformed guards can
make hourly rounds of specified areas, as a guard against break-ins, thefts or
vandalism. In addition to these many other specific details that differ with each
community, the uniformed security guard offers a watchful eye over the entire area,
constantly checking for the unusual and investigating of a suspicious For the
residence, a uniformed security guard service is a symbol of safety and protection
both by day and night. For working residents, there's peace of mind knowing that a
uniformed guard is keeping watch over their property and belongings. For all
residents, a uniformed guard provides instant security in a time of need.
Are you really safe once you get home and lock the door? In an open and
sometimes volatile society, your home should be a sanctuary for you and your
family. Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can
get close to you or your family. Protecting your home and family from criminal
intrusion should be high on your list of priorities.
Your home is your castle...or is it? Are you really safe once you get home and lock
your door? In an open society your home should be the sanctuary for you and your
family. Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can
get close to you or your family. Protecting your home and family from criminal
intrusion should be high on your list of priorities. See my web site on Family
Security Tips for more information on protecting your family from harm.
Home Burglary
By far, the most common threat to our home is burglary. According to the FBI, a burglary
occurs somewhere in the United States every 15.4 seconds. By definition, the crime of
burglary is a non-confrontational property crime that occurs when we are not at home.
However, becoming a burglary victim can leave a family feeling vulnerable and violated.
To avoid becoming a burglary victim, it is important to first gain an understanding of who
commits them and why.
The majority of home and apartment burglaries occur during the daytime when most
people are away at work or school. The summer months of July and August have the most
burglaries with February having the fewest crimes. Burglaries are committed most often
by young males under 25 years of age looking for items that are small, expensive, and can
easily be converted to cash. Favorite items are cash, jewelry, guns, watches, laptop
computers, VCRs, video players, CDs and other small electronic devices are high on the
list. Quick cash is needed for living expenses and drugs. Statistics tell us that 70% of the
burglars use some amount force to enter a dwelling, but their preference is to gain easy
access through an open door or window. Ordinary household tools like screwdrivers,
channel-lock pliers, small pry bars, and small hammers are most often used by burglars.
Burglars continue to flourish because police can only clear about 13% of all reported
burglaries and rarely catch the thief in the act.
Although home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, they actually involve a
selection process. The burglar's selection process is simple. Choose an unoccupied
home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape
routes. What follows is a list of suggestions to minimize your risk by making your home
unattractive to potential burglars.
Doors and Locks
The first step is to "harden the target" or make your home more difficult to enter.
Remember, the burglar will simply bypass your home if it requires too much effort or
requires more skill and tools than they possess. Most burglars enter via the front, back,
or garage doors. Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest
point of entry followed by the back door.
The garage and back doors also provide the most cover. Burglars know to look inside
your car for keys and other valuables so keep it locked, even when parked inside your
garage. Use high quality Grade-1 or Grade-2 locks on exterior doors to resist twisting,
prying, and lock-picking attempts. A quality deadbolt lock will have a beveled casing to
inhibit the use of channel-lock pliers used to shear off lock cylinder pins. A quality door
knob-in-lock set will have a 'dead latch' mechanism to prevent slipping the lock with a
shim or credit card.
• Use a solid core or metal door for all entrance points
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, deadbolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism
• Use a heavy-duty, four-screw, strike plate with 3-inch screws to penetrate into a
wooden door frame
• Use a wide-angle 160° peephole mounted no higher than 58 inches
The most common way used to force entry through a door with a wooden jamb is to simply
kick it open. The weakest point is almost always the lock strike plate that holds the latch
or lock bolt in place followed by a glass paneled door. The average door strike plate is
secured only by the soft-wood doorjamb molding. These lightweight moldings are often
tacked on to the door frame and can be torn away with a firm kick. Because of this
construction flaw, it makes sense to upgrade to a four-screw, heavy-duty, high security
strike plate. They are available in most quality hardware stores and home improvement
centers and are definitely worth the extra expense. Install this heavy-duty strike plate
using 3-inch wood screws to cut deep into the door frame stud. Use these longer screws
in the knob lock strike plate as well and use at least one long screw in each door hinge.
This one step alone will deter or prevent most through-the-door forced entries. You and
your family will sleep safer in the future.
Sliding-Glass Patio Doors
Sliding glass doors are secured by latches not locks. They are vulnerable to being forced
open from the outside because of these inherently defective latch mechanisms. This can
be easily be prevented by inserting a wooden dowel or stick into the track thus
preventing or limiting movement. Other blocking devices available are metal fold-down
blocking devices called "charley bars" and various track-blockers that can be screwed
down.
The blocking devices described above solve half the equation. Older sliding glass doors
can be lifted up and off their track and thereby defeat the latch mechanism. To prevent
lifting, you need to keep the door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted. You
can also install anti-lift devices such as a pin that extends through both the sliding and
fixed portion of the door.
There are also numerous locking and blocking devices available in any good quality
hardware store that will prevent a sliding door from being lifted or forced horizontally.
Place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that indicates that
an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation identification is in place. Burglars dislike
alarm systems and definitely big barking dogs.
• Use a secondary blocking device on all sliding glass doors
• Keep the latch mechanism in good condition and properly adjusted
• Keep sliding door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted
• Use anti-lift devices such as through-the-door pins or upper track screws
• Use highly visible alarm decals, beware of dog decals or block watch decal
Windows
Windows are left unlocked and open at a much higher rate than doors. An open window,
visible from the street or alley, may be the sole reason for your home to be selected by a
burglar. Ground floor windows are more susceptible to break-ins for obvious reasons.
Upper floor windows become attractive if they can be accessed from a stairway, tree,
fence, or by climbing on balconies. Windows have latches, not locks and therefore should
have secondary blocking devices to prevent sliding them open from the outside.
Inexpensive wooden dowels and sticks work well for horizontal sliding windows and
through-the-frame pins work well for vertical sliding windows. For ventilation, block the
window open no more than six inches and make sure you can't reach in from the outside
and remove the blocking device or reach through and unlock the door.
In sleeping rooms, these window blocking devices should be capable of being removed
easily from the inside to comply with fire codes. Like sliding glass doors, anti-lift devices
are necessary for ground level and accessible aluminum windows that slide horizontally.
The least expensive and easiest method is to install screws half-way into the upper track
of the movable glass panel to prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position. As a
deterrent, place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that
indicates that an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation identification system is in
place.
• Secure all accessible windows with secondary blocking devices
• Block accessible windows open no more than 6 inches for ventilation
• Make sure someone cannot reach through an open window and unlock the
door
• Make sure someone cannot reach inside the window and remove the blocking
device
• Use anti-lift devices to prevent window from being lifted out
• Use crime prevention or alarm decals on ground accessible windows
Be a Good Neighbor
Good neighbors should look out for each other. Get to know your neighbors on each side
of your home and the three directly across the street. Invite them into your home,
communicate often, and establish trust. Good neighbors will watch out for your home or
apartment when you are away, if you ask them. They can report suspicious activity to the
police or to you while you are away. Between them, good neighbors can see to it that
normal services continue in your absence by allowing vendors to mow your lawn or
remove snow. Good neighbors can pick up your mail, newspapers, handbills, and can
inspect the outside or inside of your home periodically to see that all is well. Good
neighbors will occasionally park in your driveway to give the appearance of occupancy
while you are on vacation.
Allowing a neighbor to have a key solves the problem of hiding a key outside the door.
Experienced burglars know to look for hidden keys in planter boxes, under doormats, and
above the ledge. Requiring a service vendor to see your neighbor to retrieve and return
your house key will send the message that someone is watching. This neighborhood
watch technique sets up what is called 'territoriality' which means that your neighbors will
take ownership and responsibility for what occurs in your mini-neighborhood. This
concept works in both single family homes communities and on apartment properties. This
practice helps deter burglaries and other crimes in a big way. Of course for this to work,
you must reciprocate and offer the same services.
• Get to know all your adjacent neighbors
• Invite them into your home and establish trust
• Agree to watch out for each other's home
• Do small tasks for each other to improve territoriality
• While on vacation, pick up newspapers, and flyers
• Offer to park your car in their driveway
• Return the favor and communicate often
Lighting
Interior lighting is necessary to show signs of life and activity inside a residence at night.
A darken home night-after-night sends the message to burglars that you are away on a
trip. Light timers are inexpensive and can be found everywhere. They should be used on
a daily basis, not just when you’re away. In this way you set up a routine that your
neighbors can observe and will allow them to become suspicious when your normally
lighted home becomes dark. Typically, you want to use light-timers near the front and back
windows with the curtains drawn. The pattern of them clicking on and off should simulate
actual occupancy. It’s also comforting not to have to enter a dark residence. The same
light timers can be used to turn on radios or television sets to further enhance the
illusion of occupancy.
Exterior lighting is also very important. It becomes critical if you must park in a common
area parking lot or underground garage and need to walk to your front door. The purpose
of good lighting is to allow you to see if a threat or suspicious person is lurking in your
path. If you can see a potential threat in advance then you at least have the choice and
chance to avoid it. Exterior lighting needs to bright enough for you to see 100 feet and it
helps if you can identify colors. Good lighting is definitely a deterrent to criminals
because they don't want to be seen or identified.
Another important area to be well-lighted is the perimeter of your home or apartment
especially at the entryway. Exterior lighting on the front of a property should always be on
a timer to establish a routine and appearance of occupancy at all times. Common area
lighting on apartment properties should also be on a timer or photo-cell to turn on at dusk
and turn off at dawn. The practice of leaving the garage or porch lights turned on all day
on a single family home is a dead giveaway that you are out of town. Exterior lighting at
the rear of a home or apartment are usually on a switch because of the proximity to the
sleeping rooms. The resident can choose to leave these lights on or off. Security lights
with infra-red motion sensors are relatively inexpensive and can easily replace an
exterior porch light or side door light on single family homes. The heat-motion sensor can
be adjusted to detect body heat and can be programmed to reset after one minute. These
security lights are highly recommended for single family homes.
• Use interior light timers to establish a pattern of occupancy
• Exterior lighting should allow 100 foot visibility
• Use good lighting along the pathway and at your door
• Use light timers or photo-cells to turn on/off lights automatically
• Use infra-red motion sensor lights on the rear of single family homes
Alarm Systems
Alarm systems definitely have a place in a home security plan and are effective, if used
properly. The reason why alarms systems deter burglaries is because they increase the
potential and fear of being caught and arrested by the police. The deterrent value comes
from the alarm company lawn sign and from the alarm decals on the windows. Home and
apartment burglars will usually bypass a property with visible alarm signs and will go to
another property without such a sign. Some people, with alarm systems, feel that these
signs and decals are unsightly and will not display them. The risk here is that an
uninformed burglar might break a window or door and grab a few quick items before the
police can respond. Also, don't write your alarm passcode on or near the alarm keypad.
Alarm systems need to be properly installed and maintained. Alarms systems can monitor
for fire as well as burglary for the same price. All systems should have an audible horn or
bell to be effective in case someone does break in. However, these audible alarms should
be programmed to reset automatically after one or two minutes. The criminal got the
message and will be long gone but your neighbors will have to listen to the alarm bell,
sometimes for hours, until it is shut off. If you use a central station to monitor your alarm,
make sure your response call list is up to date. Home alarms, like car alarms, are generally
ignored except for a brief glance. However, if you have established and nurtured your
neighborhood watch buddy system, you will experience a genuine concern by your
neighbor. It is not unusual to have a neighbor wait for the police, allow them inside for an
inspection, and secure the residence. A good neighbor can also call the glass company or
locksmith to repair any damage, if pre-authorized by you.
The greatest barrier getting to this level of neighborhood participation is taking the first
step. You can get help by calling your local crime prevention unit at the police
department. Most police departments in large cities have neighborhood watch
coordinators to help you set this up. You should invite your adjacent neighbors over to
your home for coffee and begin the information exchange. You'll be amazed how the
process runs on automatic from there.
• Alarm systems are effective deterrents with visible signage
• Alarm systems to be properly installed, programmed, and maintained
• Alarm systems need to have an audible horn or bell to be effective
• Make sure your alarm response call list is up to date
• Instruct your neighbor how to respond to an alarm bell
Home Safes
Since the prices of good home safes are falling, having a safe in your home is a wise
investment. Home safes are designed to keep the smash and grab burglar, nosey kids,
dishonest babysitter or housekeeper from gaining access to important documents and
personal property. Home safes need to be anchored into the floor or permanent shelving.
• Use the safe everyday so it becomes routine
• Protect the safe code and change it occasionally
• Install it away from the master bedroom or closet
Operation Identification
This is a program supported by most police agencies. They recommend that you engrave
your drivers’ license, not your social security number, on televisions, stereos, computers,
and small electronic appliances. They suggest this so they can identify and locate you if
your stolen items are recovered. I suggest that you go way beyond this step
I recommend that you photograph your valuables in their locations around your home and
make a list of the make, model, and serial numbers. This is very important for proof when
filing insurance claims. You should keep this list in a safety deposit box or with a relative
for safe keeping. Keep receipts of the larger items in case you need to prove the value of
the items for insurance purposes. Beyond that, I recommend that you photocopy
important documents and the contents of your wallet. You will be thankful that you took
these steps in case your home is ever destroyed by fire or flood, is ransacked, or if your
wallet is lost or stolen.
Identify your valuables by engraving your drivers’ license number
• Photograph and record the serial numbers of all valuables
• Photocopy the contents of your wallet and other documents
• Store the copies in a safe deposit box or with a relative
In residential communities, uniformed guards can offer personalized security
services and can monitor vehicle traffic, forewarn residence of approaching
visitors, respond to civil disputes among residents, patrol the common property
and routinely check recreational areas such as swimming pools and club houses.
This assures against misuse of such facilities and property. Additionally,
depending on the side of the community and security needs; uniformed guards can
make hourly rounds of specified areas, as a guard against break-ins, thefts or
vandalism. In addition to these many other specific details that differ with each
community, the uniformed security guard offers a watchful eye over the entire area,
constantly checking for the unusual and investigating of a suspicious For the
residence, a uniformed security guard service is a symbol of safety and protection
both by day and night. For working residents, there's peace of mind knowing that a
uniformed guard is keeping watch over their property and belongings. For all
residents, a uniformed guard provides instant security in a time of need.
Are you really safe once you get home and lock the door? In an open and
sometimes volatile society, your home should be a sanctuary for you and your
family. Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can
get close to you or your family. Protecting your home and family from criminal
intrusion should be high on your list of priorities.
Your home is your castle...or is it? Are you really safe once you get home and lock
your door? In an open society your home should be the sanctuary for you and your
family. Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can
get close to you or your family. Protecting your home and family from criminal
intrusion should be high on your list of priorities. See my web site on Family
Security Tips for more information on protecting your family from harm.
Home Burglary
By far, the most common threat to our home is burglary. According to the FBI, a burglary
occurs somewhere in the United States every 15.4 seconds. By definition, the crime of
burglary is a non-confrontational property crime that occurs when we are not at home.
However, becoming a burglary victim can leave a family feeling vulnerable and violated.
To avoid becoming a burglary victim, it is important to first gain an understanding of who
commits them and why.
The majority of home and apartment burglaries occur during the daytime when most
people are away at work or school. The summer months of July and August have the most
burglaries with February having the fewest crimes. Burglaries are committed most often
by young males under 25 years of age looking for items that are small, expensive, and can
easily be converted to cash. Favorite items are cash, jewelry, guns, watches, laptop
computers, VCRs, video players, CDs and other small electronic devices are high on the
list. Quick cash is needed for living expenses and drugs. Statistics tell us that 70% of the
burglars use some amount force to enter a dwelling, but their preference is to gain easy
access through an open door or window. Ordinary household tools like screwdrivers,
channel-lock pliers, small pry bars, and small hammers are most often used by burglars.
Burglars continue to flourish because police can only clear about 13% of all reported
burglaries and rarely catch the thief in the act.
Although home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, they actually involve a
selection process. The burglar's selection process is simple. Choose an unoccupied
home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape
routes. What follows is a list of suggestions to minimize your risk by making your home
unattractive to potential burglars.
Doors and Locks
The first step is to "harden the target" or make your home more difficult to enter.
Remember, the burglar will simply bypass your home if it requires too much effort or
requires more skill and tools than they possess. Most burglars enter via the front, back,
or garage doors. Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest
point of entry followed by the back door.
The garage and back doors also provide the most cover. Burglars know to look inside
your car for keys and other valuables so keep it locked, even when parked inside your
garage. Use high quality Grade-1 or Grade-2 locks on exterior doors to resist twisting,
prying, and lock-picking attempts. A quality deadbolt lock will have a beveled casing to
inhibit the use of channel-lock pliers used to shear off lock cylinder pins. A quality door
knob-in-lock set will have a 'dead latch' mechanism to prevent slipping the lock with a
shim or credit card.
• Use a solid core or metal door for all entrance points
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, deadbolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism
• Use a heavy-duty, four-screw, strike plate with 3-inch screws to penetrate into a
wooden door frame
• Use a wide-angle 160° peephole mounted no higher than 58 inches
The most common way used to force entry through a door with a wooden jamb is to simply
kick it open. The weakest point is almost always the lock strike plate that holds the latch
or lock bolt in place followed by a glass paneled door. The average door strike plate is
secured only by the soft-wood doorjamb molding. These lightweight moldings are often
tacked on to the door frame and can be torn away with a firm kick. Because of this
construction flaw, it makes sense to upgrade to a four-screw, heavy-duty, high security
strike plate. They are available in most quality hardware stores and home improvement
centers and are definitely worth the extra expense. Install this heavy-duty strike plate
using 3-inch wood screws to cut deep into the door frame stud. Use these longer screws
in the knob lock strike plate as well and use at least one long screw in each door hinge.
This one step alone will deter or prevent most through-the-door forced entries. You and
your family will sleep safer in the future.
Sliding-Glass Patio Doors
Sliding glass doors are secured by latches not locks. They are vulnerable to being forced
open from the outside because of these inherently defective latch mechanisms. This can
be easily be prevented by inserting a wooden dowel or stick into the track thus
preventing or limiting movement. Other blocking devices available are metal fold-down
blocking devices called "charley bars" and various track-blockers that can be screwed
down.
The blocking devices described above solve half the equation. Older sliding glass doors
can be lifted up and off their track and thereby defeat the latch mechanism. To prevent
lifting, you need to keep the door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted. You
can also install anti-lift devices such as a pin that extends through both the sliding and
fixed portion of the door.
There are also numerous locking and blocking devices available in any good quality
hardware store that will prevent a sliding door from being lifted or forced horizontally.
Place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that indicates that
an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation identification is in place. Burglars dislike
alarm systems and definitely big barking dogs.
• Use a secondary blocking device on all sliding glass doors
• Keep the latch mechanism in good condition and properly adjusted
• Keep sliding door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted
• Use anti-lift devices such as through-the-door pins or upper track screws
• Use highly visible alarm decals, beware of dog decals or block watch decal
Windows
Windows are left unlocked and open at a much higher rate than doors. An open window,
visible from the street or alley, may be the sole reason for your home to be selected by a
burglar. Ground floor windows are more susceptible to break-ins for obvious reasons.
Upper floor windows become attractive if they can be accessed from a stairway, tree,
fence, or by climbing on balconies. Windows have latches, not locks and therefore should
have secondary blocking devices to prevent sliding them open from the outside.
Inexpensive wooden dowels and sticks work well for horizontal sliding windows and
through-the-frame pins work well for vertical sliding windows. For ventilation, block the
window open no more than six inches and make sure you can't reach in from the outside
and remove the blocking device or reach through and unlock the door.
In sleeping rooms, these window blocking devices should be capable of being removed
easily from the inside to comply with fire codes. Like sliding glass doors, anti-lift devices
are necessary for ground level and accessible aluminum windows that slide horizontally.
The least expensive and easiest method is to install screws half-way into the upper track
of the movable glass panel to prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position. As a
deterrent, place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that
indicates that an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation identification system is in
place.
• Secure all accessible windows with secondary blocking devices
• Block accessible windows open no more than 6 inches for ventilation
• Make sure someone cannot reach through an open window and unlock the
door
• Make sure someone cannot reach inside the window and remove the blocking
device
• Use anti-lift devices to prevent window from being lifted out
• Use crime prevention or alarm decals on ground accessible windows
Be a Good Neighbor
Good neighbors should look out for each other. Get to know your neighbors on each side
of your home and the three directly across the street. Invite them into your home,
communicate often, and establish trust. Good neighbors will watch out for your home or
apartment when you are away, if you ask them. They can report suspicious activity to the
police or to you while you are away. Between them, good neighbors can see to it that
normal services continue in your absence by allowing vendors to mow your lawn or
remove snow. Good neighbors can pick up your mail, newspapers, handbills, and can
inspect the outside or inside of your home periodically to see that all is well. Good
neighbors will occasionally park in your driveway to give the appearance of occupancy
while you are on vacation.
Allowing a neighbor to have a key solves the problem of hiding a key outside the door.
Experienced burglars know to look for hidden keys in planter boxes, under doormats, and
above the ledge. Requiring a service vendor to see your neighbor to retrieve and return
your house key will send the message that someone is watching. This neighborhood
watch technique sets up what is called 'territoriality' which means that your neighbors will
take ownership and responsibility for what occurs in your mini-neighborhood. This
concept works in both single family homes communities and on apartment properties. This
practice helps deter burglaries and other crimes in a big way. Of course for this to work,
you must reciprocate and offer the same services.
• Get to know all your adjacent neighbors
• Invite them into your home and establish trust
• Agree to watch out for each other's home
• Do small tasks for each other to improve territoriality
• While on vacation, pick up newspapers, and flyers
• Offer to park your car in their driveway
• Return the favor and communicate often
Lighting
Interior lighting is necessary to show signs of life and activity inside a residence at night.
A darken home night-after-night sends the message to burglars that you are away on a
trip. Light timers are inexpensive and can be found everywhere. They should be used on
a daily basis, not just when you’re away. In this way you set up a routine that your
neighbors can observe and will allow them to become suspicious when your normally
lighted home becomes dark. Typically, you want to use light-timers near the front and back
windows with the curtains drawn. The pattern of them clicking on and off should simulate
actual occupancy. It’s also comforting not to have to enter a dark residence. The same
light timers can be used to turn on radios or television sets to further enhance the
illusion of occupancy.
Exterior lighting is also very important. It becomes critical if you must park in a common
area parking lot or underground garage and need to walk to your front door. The purpose
of good lighting is to allow you to see if a threat or suspicious person is lurking in your
path. If you can see a potential threat in advance then you at least have the choice and
chance to avoid it. Exterior lighting needs to bright enough for you to see 100 feet and it
helps if you can identify colors. Good lighting is definitely a deterrent to criminals
because they don't want to be seen or identified.
Another important area to be well-lighted is the perimeter of your home or apartment
especially at the entryway. Exterior lighting on the front of a property should always be on
a timer to establish a routine and appearance of occupancy at all times. Common area
lighting on apartment properties should also be on a timer or photo-cell to turn on at dusk
and turn off at dawn. The practice of leaving the garage or porch lights turned on all day
on a single family home is a dead giveaway that you are out of town. Exterior lighting at
the rear of a home or apartment are usually on a switch because of the proximity to the
sleeping rooms. The resident can choose to leave these lights on or off. Security lights
with infra-red motion sensors are relatively inexpensive and can easily replace an
exterior porch light or side door light on single family homes. The heat-motion sensor can
be adjusted to detect body heat and can be programmed to reset after one minute. These
security lights are highly recommended for single family homes.
• Use interior light timers to establish a pattern of occupancy
• Exterior lighting should allow 100 foot visibility
• Use good lighting along the pathway and at your door
• Use light timers or photo-cells to turn on/off lights automatically
• Use infra-red motion sensor lights on the rear of single family homes
Alarm Systems
Alarm systems definitely have a place in a home security plan and are effective, if used
properly. The reason why alarms systems deter burglaries is because they increase the
potential and fear of being caught and arrested by the police. The deterrent value comes
from the alarm company lawn sign and from the alarm decals on the windows. Home and
apartment burglars will usually bypass a property with visible alarm signs and will go to
another property without such a sign. Some people, with alarm systems, feel that these
signs and decals are unsightly and will not display them. The risk here is that an
uninformed burglar might break a window or door and grab a few quick items before the
police can respond. Also, don't write your alarm passcode on or near the alarm keypad.
Alarm systems need to be properly installed and maintained. Alarms systems can monitor
for fire as well as burglary for the same price. All systems should have an audible horn or
bell to be effective in case someone does break in. However, these audible alarms should
be programmed to reset automatically after one or two minutes. The criminal got the
message and will be long gone but your neighbors will have to listen to the alarm bell,
sometimes for hours, until it is shut off. If you use a central station to monitor your alarm,
make sure your response call list is up to date. Home alarms, like car alarms, are generally
ignored except for a brief glance. However, if you have established and nurtured your
neighborhood watch buddy system, you will experience a genuine concern by your
neighbor. It is not unusual to have a neighbor wait for the police, allow them inside for an
inspection, and secure the residence. A good neighbor can also call the glass company or
locksmith to repair any damage, if pre-authorized by you.
The greatest barrier getting to this level of neighborhood participation is taking the first
step. You can get help by calling your local crime prevention unit at the police
department. Most police departments in large cities have neighborhood watch
coordinators to help you set this up. You should invite your adjacent neighbors over to
your home for coffee and begin the information exchange. You'll be amazed how the
process runs on automatic from there.
• Alarm systems are effective deterrents with visible signage
• Alarm systems to be properly installed, programmed, and maintained
• Alarm systems need to have an audible horn or bell to be effective
• Make sure your alarm response call list is up to date
• Instruct your neighbor how to respond to an alarm bell
Home Safes
Since the prices of good home safes are falling, having a safe in your home is a wise
investment. Home safes are designed to keep the smash and grab burglar, nosey kids,
dishonest babysitter or housekeeper from gaining access to important documents and
personal property. Home safes need to be anchored into the floor or permanent shelving.
• Use the safe everyday so it becomes routine
• Protect the safe code and change it occasionally
• Install it away from the master bedroom or closet
Operation Identification
This is a program supported by most police agencies. They recommend that you engrave
your drivers’ license, not your social security number, on televisions, stereos, computers,
and small electronic appliances. They suggest this so they can identify and locate you if
your stolen items are recovered. I suggest that you go way beyond this step
I recommend that you photograph your valuables in their locations around your home and
make a list of the make, model, and serial numbers. This is very important for proof when
filing insurance claims. You should keep this list in a safety deposit box or with a relative
for safe keeping. Keep receipts of the larger items in case you need to prove the value of
the items for insurance purposes. Beyond that, I recommend that you photocopy
important documents and the contents of your wallet. You will be thankful that you took
these steps in case your home is ever destroyed by fire or flood, is ransacked, or if your
wallet is lost or stolen.
Identify your valuables by engraving your drivers’ license number
• Photograph and record the serial numbers of all valuables
• Photocopy the contents of your wallet and other documents
• Store the copies in a safe deposit box or with a relative
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