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Home Security Awareness Answers
1. In most cases, how long will a burglar spend trying to break in?
1 minute. It may not seem like a long time - to you - but to a burglar it seems like an eternity. If you can deter them that long - or longer - you stand a very good chance of turning them away. 2. Compared to an unalarmed residence, a home with a monitored alarm system is...
...6 times less likely to be targeted by burglars. Burglars play the odds. All things being equal, given a choice between a house with a monitored alarm system and one without, they will choose the one without every time. 3. Are your entrance doors solid core?
If they're not, they should be. The more solid your door, the stronger it will be - and the harder it will be for burglars to kick it in. 4. Do they have 1" dead bolts?
A dead-bolt is a steel bolt lock that you have to set with a key or turn-latch. It has nothing to do with the doorknob lock. You want a 1" bolt to make sure it sits deeply into the door jamb. For obvious reasons, the jamb plate should be steel and set with 1 ½" screws. 5. Do they have reinforced jambs?
Most old and nearly all new pre-hung doors have regular white pine jambs, which are easily defeated by the “karate kick”. Burglars know this and you don’t: one swift kick and the door is open, just like you see on TV. Learn more about jambs and solutions: http://www.djarmor.com/ 6. Can all your sliding doors and windows be locked with steel pins?
Steel pins are like little dead-bolts for your windows. You don't set them with keys or turn-latches, you just push them into place and they do a great job of securing your windows. 7. Can any windows left open for ventilation be secured?
The above steel pin system has two or more settings: one is for when the window is completely closed, the others for various widths of opening (all narrower than even a child could squeeze through). 8. Are your windows covered?
Protect your valuables like flat screen TVs and laptops from being easily viewed by someone standing doors, windows or street. Cover windows with draperies, sheers, blinds or shades. 9. Does window film prevent glass breakage?
No; glass still breaks even with security film installed. But, the glass doesn’t shatter; it stays in place. Repeated strikes with a hammer just knocks holes in it until finally the entire glass opening falls out of the frame. Thing is this: a burglar is only going to stand around making noise like that for a few minutes and then he’ll run. 10. Do you belong to a Neighborhood Watch or similar program?
It's this simple, no police force or security patrol can watch a neighborhood as efficiently as the people who live there, and no one knows when something isn't quite right like your neighbor. 11. Is exterior lighting installed and left on at night, off during day?
Front porch lighting not only looks better, costs just pennies, but also sends a message of occupancy and prevents “cover of darkness opportunity” crimes. Use timers, or dusk to dawn fixtures to turn off lights at daytime. (Don’t let lights remain on in daylight – sure signal you’re not there.) Also, the brighter your entrance area, the easier it will be for your neighbor to spot a crook leaving - and the less tempting it will be to a crook. 12. Do you have motion detector lights?
In addition to porch lights, consider using motion detector lights at perimeter points. Aim lights to pick up motion near the perimeter of your property. Light up intruders before they get to your house. 13. Is your residence or building number visible from the street?
This has very little to do with crime deterrent, but everything to do with your security. When seconds can mean the difference between life and death, having a clear and clearly visible house number means the emergency response unit will not have to waste valuable seconds searching for your home. 14. Do you stop deliveries (newspaper, mail, etc.)?
Nothing says "NOBODY'S HOME; COME IN AND ROB THE PLACE" like a pile of newspapers and mail on the doorstep. 15. Do you set light timers?
Get in the habit of using timers on some interior lamps. They cost $4.97 ea. but it will help to fool those crooks who might be watching for those tell-tale signs of vacancy (dark house - or house lights that never go off). 16. If your property monitored by an alarm company, do you have cellular backup?
Thieves, including juveniles, know enough to cut your phone lines before breaking into a house with an alarm system. Cellular only connection or cellular back up to signal the alarm company defeats that trick of their trade. Costs about $10 extra per month. 17. Do you keep a list of all valuable property, serial numbers and credit cards?
This is more of a deterrent than you might imagine. Property stolen from you has to be sold again, often it is taken to pawn shops. If you have a list of valuables, complete with serial numbers, the police can pass these on to pawn brokers. They catch a lot of crooks that way - and crooks know that. 18. Do you engrave your electronics or valuables with name or ID #
Nice to prove it is yours if stolen items are found. But remember we want to prevent theft. 19. Do you belong to the West End Security Patrol?
No Brainer! Do you know that APD is no longer doing neighborhood patrols. They’re only activity is 911 responding! WEND’s security patrol knows you, your house and your neighbors. Your off duty officer is doing what the police should be doing. It is sad but true. Join the West End Security Patrol and encourage neighbors to do the same. 20. When do most people start making security improvements?
Ouch! That hurts! You know the answer. We start preparing after we get robbed, maybe that’s why we were struck. Get started now.
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