"Case" Your Place
Take the time to "case" your house or apartment, just as a burglar would.
Here are a few questions to get you started:
Where is the easiest entry? How can you make it
more burglar resistant? Trim trees and shrubs near your doors and
windows, and think carefully before installing a high, wooden fence around
your back yard. High fences and shrubbery can add to your privacy, but
privacy is a burglar's asset. Consider trading a little extra privacy for a
bit of added security. Force any would-be burglar to confront a real enemy
-- light. Exterior lights, mounted out of easy reach, can reduce the
darkness a burglar finds comforting. How can you slow burglars down? Time is a
burglar's enemy, too. A burglar delayed for four or five minutes is apt to
give up and try for another, less difficult location. Simple
security
devices -- including such ordinary equipment as nails, screws, padlocks,
door and window locks, grates, bars and bolts -- can discourage intruders
and keep them from entering. How about noise? Try to make the general
prospect of robbing your home a noisy job. Noise is that important third
enemy of the burglar. Many types of alarm systems are available, with
detectors to be mounted on doors and windows. Deciding just how much home
protection you need -- and can afford -- is a personal judgment. Ask your
police department or sheriff to have someone survey your home and advise you
about suitable protection. Are any of your valuables - such as a painting, a
silver collection or an antique chair-easy to see from outside?
Rearranging your furnishings might be advisable if it serves to make your
homeless inviting to criminals! Incidentally, should you ever need to report
a burglary or file an insurance claim, a household inventory - a listing of
your furniture and major personal belongings - could be a valuable document.
Consider Some Specifics
Reducing the risk of break-ins is simply a matter of making your home less
inviting to burglars than other homes in the neighborhood. It's up to you.
Doors.
Outside doors should be metal or solid hardwood, and at least 1 3/4 inches
thick. Frames must be made of equally strong material, and each door must
fit its frame securely. Remember, if it is placed in a weak door, even the
most efficient lock will not keep out a determined burglar. A peephole or a
wide-angle viewer in the door is safer for identifying visitors than a door
chain. Sliding glass doors present a special problem because they are easy
to open, but there are locks designed for them. A broomstick in the door
channel can help, but don't depend on it for security. Locks. Deadbolt locks are best. Windows. Key locks are available for all
types of windows. Double-hung windows can be secured simply by "pinning" the
upper and lower frames together with a nail, which can be removed from the
inside. For windows at street level, consider iron grates or grilles. For
windows opening onto a fire escape, metal accordion gates can be installed
on the inside. Make the Extra Effort
Here are some "home security habits" to develop and practice:
- Establish a routine
to follow in making certain that doors and windows are locked and alarm
systems are turned on
- Avoid giving
information to unidentified telephone callers, or announcing your
personal plans in want ads or public notices (such as giving your
address when advertising items for sale). Notify police if you see
suspicious strangers in your area.
- Handle your keys
carefully. Don't carry house keys on a key ring bearing your home
address or leave house keys with your car in a commercial parking lot.
Don't hide your keys in "secret" places outside your home - burglars
usually know where to look.
- Remember special
vacation tips. This is a clear giveaway that the owners are not home.
When going on vacation, leave blinds open in their usual position. Have
mail and packages picked up, forwarded or held by the post office. Lower
the sound of your telephone bell so it can't be heard outside. Arrange
to have your lawn mowed or your walk shoveled. Stop newspaper
deliveries. Ask a friend to pick up "throwaway" newspapers and
circulars. Use automatic timers to turn lights on and off in your living
room and bedrooms at appropriate times. Consider connecting a radio to a
timer. Tell police and dependable neighbors when you plan to be away and
join with your neighbors to keep a close watch on what's happening in
your area - working closely with them is a good way to prevent crime.
...And Remember This
Confronting a thief in your home is frightening. Follow this advice:
- Run away if you can
and call police.
- Lock yourself in a
room if you can't escape.
Cooperate and stay as calm
as possible should you find yourself face-to-face with a burglar. |