Burglary Proof Your Home
The purpose of a home security inspection is to identify features in your home or daily routines of your family which might make your home an easy target for a burglar. The security inspection should begin at your front door, include an inspection of all your doors and windows, locks, lights and landscaping.
DOORS
Are all outside doors in the house of metal or solid wood construction?
Are all door frames strong enough and tight enough to prevent forcing or spreading?
Are door hinges protected from removal from outside?
Are there windows in any door or within 40 inches of the locks?
Are all door locks adequate and in good repair?
Are strikes and strike plates adequate and property installed?
Can the locking mechanism be reached through a mail slot, delivery port or a pet entrance at doorway?
Is there a screen or storm door with an adequate lock?
Are all entrances lighted with at least a 40 watt light?
Can front entrance be observed from street or public areas?
Does porch or landscaping offer concealment from view from street or public areas?
If there is a sliding glass door, is the sliding panel secured from being lifted out of the track?
Is "charley-bar" or key operated auxiliary lock used on sliding glass door?
ENTRANCES FROM GARAGE AND BASEMENT
Are all entrances to living quarters from basement of metal or solid wood?
Does door from garage to living quarters have locks adequate for exterior entrance? _
WINDOWS
Do all windows have adequate locks in operating condition?
Do windows have screens or storm windows that lock from inside?
Do any windows open onto areas that may be hazardous or offer special risk to burglary?
Do windows that open to hazardous areas have security screens or grills?
Are exterior areas to windows free from concealing structure or land- scaping?
Is exterior adequately lighted at all window areas?
Are trees and shrubbery kept trimmed back from upper floor windows?
Are ladders kept outside the house where they are accessible?
BASEMENT DOORS AND WINDOWS
Is there a door from outside to the basement?
If so that door adequately security for an exterior door?
Is outside basement entrance lighted by exterior light of at least 40 watts?
Is outside basement door concealed from street or neighbors?
Are all basement windows adequately secured against entry?
GARAGE DOORS AND WINDOWS Is automobile entrance door to garage equipped with adequate locking device?
Is garage door kept closed and locked at all times?
Are garage windows secured adequately for ground floor windows?
Is outside utility entrance to garage as secure as required for any ground floor entrance?
Are tools and ladders kept in garage?
Are all garage doors lighted on the outside by at least a 40 watt light?
ADDITIONAL TIPS TO REMEMBER
- House number should be clearly displayed front and back.
- Exterior flood lights (front and back) and over garage are recommended. Interior-timed lighting devices should be utilized when not at home.
- Basement windows are often overlooked by homeowners, basement windows should be secured to prevent forcing. Window locks should not be vulnerable if the glass is broken. Screening materials can be used effectively on these window wells or on window framing.
- Solid core wood doors with rugged frames that cannot spread apart with a pry bar are recommended. Door locks with quality dead bolt locks having a minimum 1-inch throw are recommended. These should be mounted so one cannot open the door after breaking a window. Mounting the lock low on the door can some- times eliminate this problem. In other cases, a double cylinder lock will solve the problem.
- Shrubs should be kept low enough so as not to block possible points of entry or to conceal a potential burglar.
- Window glass is most vulnerable to attack. Fortunately, many burglars are reluctant to break windows because of noise and because windows are often visible from the street.
Cyber Security
Identity thieves commit their crime in several ways:
- They steal credit card payments and other outgoing mail from private, curbside mailboxes.
- They dig through garbage cans or communal dumpsters in search of cancelled checks.
- They hack into computers that contain personal records and steal the data.
- They file a change of address form in the victim's name to divert mail and gather personal and financial data.
Tips
- To guard against identity theft, never give out your Social Security number. Treat it as confidential information.
- Commit all passwords to memory or save in a secured or encrypted file. Never write them down and carry with you.
- When using and ATM machine, make sure no one is hovering over you and can see you enter your password.
- When participating in an online auction, try to pay the seller directly with a credit card so you can dispute the charges if the merchandise does not arrive or was misrepresented. If possible, avoid paying by check or money order.
- Adopt an attitude of healthy skepticism toward websites that offer prizes or giveaways. Chances are, all that's been "won" is the opportunity to buy something you didn't want in the first place.
- Choose a commercial online service that offers parental control features.
- Tell your children never to give out their address, telephone number, password, school name or any other personal information.
- Make sure your children know to never agree to meet face-to-face with someone they've met online without discussing it with you. Only if you decide that it's okay to meet their "cyber-friend" should they arrange to meet this person, and then the meeting should be in a familiar public place in the presence of a trusted adult.
- Tell your children never to enter an area that charges for services without asking you first.
- Tell children never send a picture of themselves to anyone without your permission.
- Make sure that access to the internet at your children's school is monitored by adults.
Parents who host lose the Most!
Suggestions for Parents thinking of hosting or allowing their teen to attend a party
If your teen is giving a party
- Help your teenager plan the party. Make a guest list and invite only a specific number of people.
- Have your child pass out or send invitations and try to avoid the “open party” situation.
- Don’t send e-mail invitations. They can be forwarded to a large number of people quickly and you lose control of who has this information.
- Put your phone number on the invitation and welcome calls from parents.
- Set rules ahead of time like no alcohol, drugs or tobacco. Set a start and end time for the party
- Let attendees know that if they leave, they can’t come back.
- Have plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Plan some activities such as music, games, movies, etc.
- Let your neighbors know in advance there will be a party and that you will be there to supervise. Familiarize yourself with the noise ordinance in your area.
- Have a plan for dealing with vehicles. Include parking information in your party invitation.
- Call parents of any teen who arrives in possession of alcohol or under the influence. If you can’t get in touch with the parents, keep them there or call the police, if necessary. You can be civilly liable if you know they are intoxicated and you let them leave.
- Secure all forms of alcohol, firearms & other potentially hazardous items in your home in a safe place.
- Make regular and unobtrusive visits to the party area with sensitivity to teens’ needs for privacy and independence.
- Invite some other parents to help chaperone of there will be a large number of teenagers.
If your teen is attending a party
- Know where your child will be. Call the parent in charge to verify to occasion and location of the party and ensure there will be adult supervision.
- Ask how many teens are expected at the party and offer to help supervise or provide refreshments.
- Make certain that the host will not be serving or allowing alcohol. Ask how they plan to handle the situation if a teen shows up with alcohol of having drunk somewhere else.
- Indicate your expectations to your child and the parent hosting the party that is the teens plan to leave and go somewhere else, you will want to know.
- Set a curfew for your teen to be home and when they arrive home, have them check in with you.
- Know how your child is getting to and from the party. Reinforce the message to your teenager that they should never allow someone who has been drinking or using other drugs to drive them anywhere.
- Assure your child that they can telephone you to be picked up whenever needed.
- If the activity seems inappropriate, express concern and keep your child home.
When your away from home or out of town
- Set and communicate rules and standards to be followed in your absence.
- Do not allow underage youth to have unsupervised parties and gatherings.
- Remind them of their responsibilities and the consequences of there actions.
- Have a relative or responsible adult stay at your home during your absence, have your teenager stay with a responsible adult or ask a neighbor to watch the house and stop in while you are gone.
- If you are concerned that your child might have a party anyway, you can call your local police and ask them to drive by at some point over the time you are gone. Make it a point to tell your child that you have asked the police to do this.
Other Ideas
- Get to know your children’s friends and their parents.
- Find out their policy on alcohol, drug and tobacco use.
- Remember, it is illegal to serve minors!
- Encourage alcohol-free and drug-free parties and activities for underage youth.