Tips To Protect Your Home From Crime

• Exterior doors should be constructed of metal or solid core wood and secured with a deadbolt lock.
• Keep windows and doors locked at all times.
• Make sure door frames and hinges are sturdy, with less than 1/8 of an inch between the door and the frame.
• Secure sliding glass doors with removable pins or with a bar placed inside the track.
• Provide good lighting near each entry point, including both back doors and side windows.
• Have your yard and porches well-lit.
• Keep greenery trimmed below the bottom ledge of windows and away from doorway.
• Trellises and tree limbs should be kept away from the 2nd floor window where burglars might use them to climb inside.
• Keep house numbers well-lit and clearly visible from the street to help authorities find your home during a burglary or emergency.
• Members of the household should know to withhold information such as their name and address from strangers.
• Identify visitors through a peephole or windows, even if the voice sounds familiar.
• If strangers asks for help, have them wait outside as household members make phone calls for them.
• Be leery of unscheduled repairmen and utility workers - verify them with a call to their company.

Going Out of Town
If you plan a vacation:

• Make arrangements for a trusted neighbor or friend to watch for intruders, pick up mail and newspapers, cut the grass, etc.
• Keep the answering machine turned on to prevent burglars from hearing an unanswered phone.
• Have timers set to turn lights and a radio on and off.
• Leave a car in the driveway to provide the illusion of occupancy.
• Give vacation address and telephone number to a trusted neighbor in case of an emergency.

Look Out for Your Neighbors
Protect your belongs by marking them with electronic engraving. Items that can not be marked should be videotaped or photographed.

Most burglars aren't professional criminals, but are usually just neighborhood kids looking for an easy target. Don't attract attention by placing valuables where they can be easily seen through windows.

Look out for your neighbors - they are the best home security device. Join our neighborhood Block Watch programs.