Home safety starts at the front door.
Your door should be solid core, built specifically as an exterior door
and secured with a deadbolt lock. A good deadbolt extends at least one
full inch into the strike plate and should be built to resist a twisting
and impact attack. The best way to resist an impact (door kick) attack
is to insist on a heavy-duty strike plate with at least four screws
extending two inches into the doorframe itself. Many times a homeowner
will use a small, two-screw strike plate that barely extends into the
pine molding.
You should also consider having the locks changed so that one key fits
all locks. Good security must also provide for convenient access to
authorized persons. If one key fits all the locks in the house, it is
easy to lock up and to get in and out, so the locks are used more often.
It is disheartening to take a burglary report at a home where there were
adequate locks, but they were not in use! Often there are good locks
that can be removed and taken into a lock shop in a shoebox where the
keying combination can be changed without having a service call to the
home. Just be sure there is someone at home while this is being done.
All windows and doors should be free of obstructions, such as bushes
that block the view of your yard or street. Windows and sliding doors
should be equipped with auxiliary locks, in addition to the ones
supplied by the manufacturer. Window locks should be resistant to
removal from outside if the window is broken. Burglars will seldom crawl
through a broken window, but will reach inside to open a lock.
Another item often overlooked is the display of the house numbers. These
numbers should be large enough and in contrasting colors so they can
easily be seen from the street. If there is alley access, the numbers
should be displayed there too. The numbers do not have to be
extraordinarily large, but a patrol officer on a prowler call should be
able to spot them. Make sure they haven’t been painted over or covered
by vine growth, etc.
Gates to the back and side yards should remain locked. They can be
opened for meter readers or other service personnel as needed. Newer
homes are built so utility meters are accessible without entering the
back yards. When locking an exterior gate, it is a good idea to have
several extra keys made. One key can be kept in a convenient place, such
as the garage near the lawn mower, or given to the gardener or other
service personnel.
Make arrangements with a neighbor to look after your house when you are
on vacation or during an emergency. Put lights on timers so it will
appear someone is home.
You should call the police whenever you see or hear something suspicious
in your neighborhood.
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