Keep your family and home
safe from burglary and theft

Many homeowners have no idea how much of an opportunity they present for burglars.

Although the odds of your home to be a target for burglary may be high, simple measures can be taken to increase your home security.

• Replace hollow-core exterior doors with solid wood, fiberglass or steel.
• Make sure exterior door hinges are on the inside rather than the outside. Otherwise a burglar can remove the pins and pull the door out of the frame.
• Invest in high-quality deadbolt locks for all exterior doors.
• Install peepholes in all exterior doors so you can identify whoever is outside.
• Do not rely on door safety chains, as these are easily broken.
• Secure sliding glass doors with a bolt lock, or use a broomstick or 2x4 to block the door closed.
• Use bars to secure basement or garage doors and add bars to basement windows.
• Many garage door openers respond to common codes, so follow the manufacturer's instructions to program yours with a unique code.
• Keep your garage door locked at all times, preferably with a deadbolt lock.
• If you have double-hung windows, bolt the upper and lower sashes together or insert a metal bar in the track to prevent opening.
• Burglar alarm systems are an effective deterrent. Ninety percent of convicted burglars state that they used to avoid houses protected by a burglar alarm system. Security system decals and signs are also an effective deterrent.
• Make sure your burglar alarm system includes a loud inside alarm, detectors at all exterior doors, and motion sensors in the master bedroom and main living areas.
• Install motion-detecting outdoor floodlights around your home. Be sure to mount them high enough to prevent intruders from disabling them.
• Use timers to turn lights, televisions and sound systems on and off at different times to give the impression that your home is occupied when you are away.
• Leave curtains slightly parted so your house doesn't look vacant.
• Eliminate hiding places for burglars by pruning overgrown trees and shrubs that are close to the house.
  
  
• Most home burglaries occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., so always lock all doors and windows whenever you leave home.
• Use your first initial rather than your first name on your mailbox or in the phone directory.
• Never leave an answering machine message indicating you're not at home. Simply say that you "can't come to the phone right now."
• Don't leave valuables in sight through windows, where they will tempt burglars.
• Burglars often scan newspapers for wedding and funeral announcements and special community and holiday events that might take you out of your home, so be especially careful on these occasions.
  
  
• Thieves ALWAYS look in mailboxes, under doormats and above doorways for keys.
• Don't put your name or address on your key ring, because it might lead a thief right to your door with key in hand.
• Leave only the car keys when having a car parked or serviced.
• If there's any chance a previous resident may still have keys to your house, re-key the locks.
  
  
• Piles of mail, newspapers or flyers are a sure sign of a vacant home. Have the Post Office hold mail while you are away, suspend newspaper delivery, and ask a neighbor to clear away flyers.
• An empty trash is another indication of an empty house. Ask a neighbor to set your garbage cans out for pick-up on the appropriate evening.
• When away from home, leave a car in your driveway or arrange for a neighbor to keep a car there and move it around from time to time.
• Have someone mow your lawn, rake leaves and shovel snow while you are away.