Quick, easy ways to reduce the odds of a crime happening in your home.

Posted on 01/06/2011 by Ken Peck
Tagged with break in, crime, home invasion, security

Here are some quick, easy ways to reduce the odds of a crime happening in your home.

There is a burglary every 10 seconds in the U.S. Taking the time to “harden” your home and its surroundings against crime can help reduce the chances of a burglary happening to you.
Burglars can strike at any time – whether or not you are home. Most often, they take the path of least resistance and look for open windows and unlocked doors. They usually have a good working knowledge of the types of windows, doors and locks that are easiest to break or open and will choose residences with these as their targets.
You don’t have to spend a great deal of money to improve home security. Following is a list of things you can do yourself at little or no cost.

1. Don’t leave ladders, yard tools or other equipment outside where they can be used to climb on or to pry open windows or doors.
2. If your yard is fenced, keep the gates locked with good quality padlocks. If you install a fence, make sure it does not block visibility.
3. Lighting can be an effective deterrent to a potential burglar. Install economical, high-pressure sodium lights. Motion-detector spotlights also are very good. Lights will prevent anyone from hiding in your yard and will discourage theft because burglars don’t want to be seen.
4. Vary your habits. Don’t take the trash out at the same time. Don’t pick up your paper at the same time. Use different routes when driving to work and when going shopping.
5. When you go on vacation, don’t stop the newspaper or mail. Have a neighbor pick them up. Also, leave a vehicle parked in your driveway, and have a neighbor put out the trash when scheduled.
6. Keep your garage doors closed and locked at all times. If you have a door that opens mechanically, remove the rope from the disconnect bar when you’re on vacation. If you have an electric door opener, turn the system off and put a padlock on the inside. Before getting into your vehicle, always look inside and check the back seat, even if it’s been in your garage all night. When returning home, check near your door and garage to make sure no one is hiding.
7. Some experts advise that exterior doors should open outward because they are more difficult to kick in. However, few are designed this way. If your doors do open outward, the hinges will be on the outside and could be removed easily. To prevent this, use pinless hinges or drill and pin the hinges.
8. The weakest part of the door is where the locks are installed. Strengthen this area by installing a door-reinforcer. Also, install an anti-pry plate on the outside of the door.
9. For doors that open inward, install a heavy-duty strike plate with screws that are at least 3 inches long to reach the framing around the door.
10. Get to know your neighbors, and arrange to watch each other’s homes. Join your Neighborhood Watch Group. If there isn’t one, get your neighbors to form one with you. Share literature and information about burglaries in the area. Circulate literature from the police about crime prevention.
11. Keep all outdoor shrubbery and trees trimmed and thinned. If trees are close to the house, they should be trimmed or removed so no one can hide behind them or climb them to an upstairs window. Plant thorny plants close to your house because they are uncomfortable to hide in.
12. If no one sleeps in the basement, secure windows there by attaching a metal bar across the outside of the window.
13. Windows should be kept closed and locked. Ordinary window hardware, even those sold as extra secure, can be defeated with a crowbar. To make a strong window lock, drill a hole at a slight downward angle through the sashes where they overlap, and insert a sturdy eyebolt. To secure single-hung windows, install a lock similar to a Blasi Lock – two per window. This will allow you to secure the window in a closed position or open several inches for ventilation.
14. The exterior doors on your home should be solid hardwood or metal with a good quality dead bolt and either a single or double cylinder. With a double cylinder, keep the key in the lock or nearby when you are at home so you can lock or unlock it quickly. To check if doors are solid wood, stick a pushpin into the door. If it goes in easily, the wood is soft. To strengthen a softwood door, use a door-reinforcer. For locks that use a common strike plate on the edge of a softwood frame, use screws that are at least 3 inches in length, so they can seat in the door’s framing. Key-in-knob locks are not secure and should be replaced. If there is glass within 40 inches of the lock, replace it with an unbreakable glazing.
15. Mark all the major items in your home and garage with your driver’s license number. Take photos of these items and keep them in a safe place with model numbers, serial numbers and prices. This will help the police identify the material if it is stolen and recovered. It can also help you with insurance claims.
16. Prepare your master bedroom for emergency use. Install a solid wood door with a good lock. Equip the room with a phone, fire extinguisher, first aid kit and a loud noisemaker. This room can be a refuge if an intruder comes into your home.
17. Door chains are of little benefit. Don’t depend on them to keep anyone out.
18. When you are gone, use timer switches for lights in different rooms. Set them for different times to resemble your normal pattern.
19. Have police, fire and hospital emergency telephone numbers posted in several rooms.
20. Make sure you have large reflective numbers on your home and mailbox so police and other emergency vehicles can locate your home.
21. Install a wide-angle door viewer so you can see who is at your door without them seeing you. If you have young children, a lower viewer enables them to see as well. Check the identification of everyone who comes to the door if, for instance, they claim to be with a utility company or the city. If you have any doubts, call their employer.
22. Never hide keys outside the house. Arrange to leave them with neighbors or friends.
23. Sliding glass doors invite jimmying or prying. To secure a sliding door, you can buy a special steel or wood bar at the hardware store. To keep the stationary panel from being pried out, install a series of round-head screws and an angle iron to keep the panel from sliding. An easier but equally effective method would be to pin the two doors together.
24. If it appears someone has broken into your home, do not enter the house. Leave and call the police.
25. When working in the yard, or even if you are simply relaxing in your home, keep all doors and windows locked.

This post does not describe all possible hazardous conditions or unsafe acts, and it does not constitute legal or professional advice. Stanberry Insurance disclaims all forms of warranties, whatsoever, without limitations. Implementation of any practices suggested herein is at your sole discretion, and Stanberry Insurance or its subsidiaries and affiliates shall not be liable to any party for any damages whatsoever arising out of, or in connection with the information provided herein.