Home invasions, break-ins, and crime in general are on the rise with the worsening economy
Making your home more secure is not an expensive project and does not take a long time.
HOME BREAK-IN STATISTICS
Below is a list, based on FBI research, indicating where home break-ins occur.
34% Front Door
23% First-Floor Window
22% Back Door
9% Garage
4% Basement
4% Unlocked Entrance
2% Second Floor
2% Storage Area
TIP 1: Keep windows and doors locked—even when you or family members are home.
TIP 2: Update locking hardware on your entry doors. Install new keyed locks and deadbolts.
TIP 3: Ensure that window air conditioners are not easily removable from the outside. Bolt them in place from the inside.
TIP 4: Keep drapes or shades drawn—during evenings and at night—so as not to entice intruders. Sheers can help to conceal your home's interior during the day while allowing in light.
TIP 5: Remove shrubs and trees from in front of windows so they can't hide possible intruders. Keep shrubs trimmed low.
TIP 6: Replace old, easily-breached windows with heavy-duty replacement windows that have passed ASTM* structural forced entry tests.
TIP 7: Install new heavy-duty basement windows. Older, substandard basement windows are often targeted by intruders.
OTHER STEPS TO TAKE OUTSIDE YOUR HOME
· Make Sure It Is Well-Lit: Every exterior door should be illuminated with at least a 40-watt bulb. Experts recommend easy-to-install motion-detecting light sensors (starting at about $20 each at home-improvement stores) as well. If a thief is illuminated the minute he walks onto your property, he'll keep moving. You can buy attractive motion-sensing lights that look appropriate next to a front door, as well as more utilitarian models.
· Advertise An Alarm System, Even If You Don't Have One: While it's best to have the real deal, merely posting a lawn sign or a sticker might make a thief think twice about breaking into your home. Try to get one from a friend or neighbor who has an alarm; experienced thieves can spot a fake.
· Close Most Shades: If a thief can't see inside, he won't know if there's anything worth stealing. But keep a few shades open on the second floor to make it look as if someone is home.
· Put Your Street Number, Not Your Name, On The Mailbox: Why put more information out there than necessary, Connell asks. With that piece of knowledge, thieves can dial directory information with your name and street address, then call to see if anyone's home.
· Censor Your Trash: The box that new flat-screen TV came in announces that you have stuff worth stealing. Cut the carton up and tie the pieces together before you put them out on the curb.
STEPS TO TAKE INSIDE YOUR HOME
· Put Lights And A Radio Or TV On A Timer: People who leave the lights on all day "might as well put out a sign in their front yard saying they're out of town," says Ann Lindstrom of ADT Security Services. Look for the type of timer that can be set for random on and off times. Otherwise, it's too easy for crooks to get wise to the fact that your lights are coming on at the same time every night.
· Keep Two Jewelry Boxes And Lock Up Your Valuables: It may sound obvious, but thieves know we all like to hide our most important things under the bed, in a coffee tin, or behind a bookcase. So keep passports, Social Security cards, and the like in a bank safe-deposit box or in a heavy-duty combination safe you can bolt to the floor in a closet. Real Simple also suggests tricking thieves by essentially having two jewelry boxes: Store inexpensive pieces in the nice-looking case on your dresser. Stash the good bits in a safe. A thief may be fooled by the "cheap box" and not bother looking for more.