Home  Security

List  of  suggestions  to  minimize  risk

Make  your  home  look  occupied  and  difficult  to  break  in

Check  your  locks  on  doors  and  windows

Leave  lights  on  when  you  go  out

Have  a    good  neighborhood

Use  Burglar  Alarm  SystemsHave  a  plan

Doors  and  LocksDoors  • Use  a  solid  core  or  metal  door  for  all  entrance  points  • Use  a  heavy-­‐duty,  four-­‐screw,  strike  plate  with  3-­‐inch  screws  to  penetrate  into  a  wooden  door  frame  

• If  you  have  sliding  glass  doors,  install  a  solid  metal  jammer  that  folds  up  when  not  in  use  to  keep  them  from  being  lifted  off  their  tracks  as  shown  in  picture

Locks  • Use  a  quality,  heavy-­‐duty,  deadbolt  lock  with  a  one-­‐inch  throw  bolt  as  shown  in  the  picture    

•Use  a  quality,  heavy-­‐duty,  knob-­‐in-­‐lock  set  with  a  dead-­‐latch  mechanism  

•Use  high  quality  Grade-­‐1  or  Grade-­‐2  locks  on  exterior  doors  to  resist  twisting,  prying,  and  lock-­‐picking  attempts

Windows• Make  sure  all  windows  lock.    You  can  buy  

alarms  that  sound  off  when  there  is  vibration  of  a  window  breaking.      

• You  can  also  buy  magnetic  alarms  that  sound  off  when  a  window  is  being  opened.      

• This  will  warn  you  and  scare  off  threats.  • You  can  put  these  alarms  on  all  windows  

and  doors.    They  are  inexpensive  and  battery  powered.

Lighting

*  Use  interior  light  timers  to  establish  a  pattern  of  occupancy  *  Use  light  timers  or  photo-­‐cells  to  turn  on/off  lights  automatically.

*  Use  infra-­‐red  motion  sensor  lights  on  the  rear  of  single  family  homes  *  Motion-­‐activated  security  lights  near  grade-­‐level  windows  or  entrances  give  prowlers  nowhere  to  hide.

*Exterior  lighting  should  allow  100-­‐  feet  of  visibility  *Motion-­‐sensored  lights  outside  your  home  are  a  great  deterrent  for  burglars.

Prepare  For  Break-­‐inIf  precautions  don’t  work  we  must  have  a  plan.  

• Create  a  plan  with  your  family.  • Make  a  “safe  room”  or  designate  a  closet  for  safe  hiding.    • In  this  area  fortify  it  with  a  bottle  of  water,  self  defense  option  (shotgun,  knife,  etc),  and  an  old  cell  phone  that  can  make  emergency  calls  only.  

• Have  a  plan  of  action  if  you  hear  a  noise.    Have  self  defense  weapon  (i.e...  gun)  easy  to  get  and  ready  to  fire  (if  properly  trained)    

• Find  a  good  place  to  post  up  and  wait  for  intruder.  

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Good  Neighborhood

Get  to  know  all  your  adjacent  neighbors

Agree  to  watch  out  for  each  other's  home

While  on  vacation  -­‐  pick  up  newspapers,  mail  and  flyers

Offer  to  occasionally  park  your  car  in  their  driveway

Do  small  tasks  for  each  other  to  improve  territoriality

Alarm  Systems▪Alarm  systems  are  effective  deterrents  with  visible  signage  

▪Alarm  systems  to  be  properly  installed,  programmed,  and  maintained  

▪Alarm  systems  need  to  have  an  audible  horn  or  bell  to  be  effective  

▪Make  sure  your  alarm  response  call  list  is  up  to  date  

▪Instruct  your  neighbour  how  to  respond  to  an  alarm  bell

Alarm  systems  can  be  expensive.  Put  an  alarm  system  sign  in  the  front  of  your  home  so  that  burglars  think  you  have  one!

Other  precautions

Never  leave  keys  under  doormats,  flowerpots,  

mailboxes  or  other  “secret”  hiding  places  -­‐-­‐  burglars  know  where  to  look  for  

hidden  keys

Trim  the  shrubbery  around  your  home  to  reduce  cover  for  

burglars

Turn  the  volume  of  your  phone's  ringer  down  so  someone  outside  can't  hear  

them  ring

Make  a  safe  room

Arrange  to  have  your  lawn  cut  or  snow  

removed  from  your  walks  if  you're  going  to  be  gone  

for  a  long  period

Mark  the  valuables  with  your  driver's  license  number  with  an  engraver  you  can  borrow  from  your  precinct.  Marked  items  are  harder  for  a  burglar  to  dispose  of  and  easier  for  

police  to  recover

Stay  Safe!