Home Security - Better Safe Than Sorry...part 1 of 2

The most common threat to your homme is burglary. Fortunately, burglars will move on if they see you have taken preemptive measures.

Think most burglaries happen at night? Think again.
Statistically, most home thefts happen during the day, when people are away at work or school. July & august are prime time for burglars, when families are away on vacation. Thefts also increase during hard financial time, wen its more difficult to find work. Thieves use force to enter your home 70% of the time but are caught only 13% of the time. There are more than 1 million burglaries a year, and the number is rising.

Eliminate Easy Entry.
Sliding glass doors and windows are easy fixes. Close the door or window and measure the length of the exposed sliding track. Cut a piece of wood a half inch shorter than the track. When you close up, lock the door or window, then place the wood in the slide track-it prevents opening. Small, inexpensive track locks accomplish the same thing. Secutrity screen doors can prevent theives from having access to your entry doors and can be painted to blend with your home.

Close Windows of Opportunity
Open windows are used by burglars because often they are visible from the street or alley and no force entry is required. Windows can be locked partially open for ventilation with a track lock or length of wood 2" shorter than the exposed sliding track (when the window is totally closed). This allows the window to remain 2" open but no more. Take this precaution with all windows when leaving, even those that are difficult to reach.

Honor Thy Neighbors
Neighbors can be good allies toward a common purpose. Offer to keep a look out on their home when they are away and ask them to reciprocate. When going away for a period, remove signs of vacancy-put mail and newspaper deliveries on hold and ask neighbors to remove fliers left at the front door. Establish trust with your neighbors so you can leave spare keys with them (experienced burglars know where to look for hidden spare keys.)

Keep Records of Your Belongings
In case of theft, your homeowner's insurance may be of little value if you cannot sustantiate your loss. Take photos of your possessions (especially jewelry and electronics), write down serial numbers and keep receipts in case you need to file an insurance claim. Keep important documents in a home safe and give copies to your relatives to keep in case the originals are lost. There are also companies that perofrm a home inventory service.

Please stay tuned, next week I'll provide 5 Quick & Easy Crime Deterrents and how to prepare your home before going on vacation. Visit the National Crime Prevention Council which provides training and guides to establishing your own Neighborhood Watch chapter. The National Neighborhood Watch Institute includes information on Neighborhood Watch and offers popular crime deterring signs for homes and communities.