Protecting Your Home: Locks, Lights and Good Neighbors...

One of the crimes most frequently reported to the police is residential burglary.  It's also the most preventable.  It doesn't take much or cost much to out-smart most burglars.

They are usually not professionals, but rather people taking advantage of an easy target.

Burglars may do more than steal things, because if they are surprised by someone coming home or if they choose a home that is occupied, the intruder may be forced to resort to 

violence to make an escape, and someone may get hurt.

Tips on Safeguarding Your Home

• Make sure all exterior doors have good locks, at least dead-bolt locks with a 1'' throw.

• Always lock up when you go out, even if only for a few minutes.

• Secure sliding glass doors with bars or locks, or put a broom handle in the door track

• Make sure your windows have good locks, especially those at ground level.

• Make sure all porches, entrances, and outside areas are well lit.

• Trim any bushes or trees that hide doors or windows.

• Maintain your yard and keep ladders and tools inside when you are not using them

• Don't hide keys under the doormat or in a flowerpot.  That is the first place burglars look!!  It is much better to give an extra key to a trusted neighbor, or put a locking key box in the backyard.

• Mark your valuable property like TV's VCR's computers, cameras and stereos with your driver's license number.

• Get a safe, that can be bolted down, to keep your records of your property and small valuables in a safe place.

• Install an alarm system for summoning emergency help.

• If you park your car outside, LOCK IT! and never leave a garage door opener in the car.

• Get a Dog, they are mans best friend and they bark at any intruders...

When you go away...

One of the easiest crimes to prevent -- burglary -- is also one of the most common. Somewhere in the U.S. there's a burglary committed every 15 seconds. If it happens at your home, you lose more than a few possessions. A break-in, even when you're not there, has a major impact on your and your family's sense of safety and well-being.

But burglaries don't have to happen. There are a lot of things you can do to boost home security and make your house burglary-resistant. But a big one is... Don't Advertise You're Away
The first thing a burglar looks for when choosing a house for a break-in is one with no one in it. If you make your house look occupied when you're gone, most burglars will simply pass it by.