Home-Security Tips

type size: [A] [A] [A]

Concerned that what happened to the It Takes a Thief homeowners could happen to you — except with real burglars? Check out Matt and Jon's tips from the show below.

YOUR HOUSE: ALARMS

* Homes without a home-security/alarm system have a significantly higher break-in rate, so invest in an alarm system to protect your home ... and use it. Most of us ignore the sirens of car and house alarms because they go off regularly, so make sure your house alarm is connected to the police and a central station to ensure someone will respond.

And, when you connect your alarm system to a monitoring station, make sure you have a back-up cellular connection in case your phone service is disrupted.

* Moving into a house with an old alarm system? Contact the provider to inquire about an upgrade.

* Consider a security system equipped with ultrasonic sensors that can detect movement inside your home, not just breaches of your doors and windows. Certain alarm systems allow your home to have separate zones so specific areas can always stay armed. Also, a panic button can be hooked up to your alarm system's central server for added protection inside your home.

* Less expensive security options include motion sensors, sound detectors and photocells, all of which can be used to turn on lights when triggered. Especially if you live in a hidden or dark area, motion sensors on outdoor lights are an easy and inexpensive deterrent for any possible intruders on your property at night.

* Individual window alarms, which are activated by vibration, can also discourage thieves. If you have an alarm system, make sure all your windows either have contacts on them or you have glass-break sensors in the rooms.

* A thief may try to dismantle your alarm system, so make sure the system's central panel is in a secure spot. In addition, since construction or wildlife can disrupt outside wiring, have your system tested annually.

* A barking dog — even a small one — will deter most burglars. The noise draws attention, which is the last thing burglars want. However, dogs are never a proper deterrent. They only become scared like humans if strangers become threatening. It's not fair to your pup to rely on its canine bravado.

* Reflective numbers outside on the front of your home will make it easy for police and ambulances to find your house in case of emergency.

YOUR HOUSE: LOCKS

* Install locks or secondary security devices on all accessible windows so they can't be opened far enough for someone to crawl through from the outside.

* You can limit access to your home and omit keys by getting the latest technology with fingerprint locks; they are very easy to use and very "007"!

* Install dead bolts with captive keylocks on all doors located next to windows. These locks have removable thumb latches so that even if a thief breaks a window, he still can't reach around and unlock the door. But because dead bolts can also be a fire hazard, make sure they have a removable key on the inside cylinder for when you are home. When you leave, just remove the key and keep the lock bolted on both sides.

* Always lock up all doors and windows — including second-floor windows — even if you're just going out for a few minutes.

* A door that locks from the inside is great — but it needs to lock on the outside as well!

* A chain lock allows you to talk to someone outside your door without opening it all the way.

* If you have the same key for all your locks, have one door re-keyed and use that key to give to contractors or visitors. If the key is lost, you will only have to change one lock on your house.

* Do you and your family members often misplace keys? Use color-coded key chains that work with a radio transmitter. Then just press the button that matches the color of your key chain and a tone will go off, letting you know where your keys are.

* When you move into a house or apartment, have the locks re-keyed. There's no telling who the previous residents may have given a spare key to, or whether they kept one themselves.

* To avoid being locked out of your house, secure a spare key in a combination or key lockbox on your property, or leave one with a trusted neighbor.

* Original locks may look quaint, but they are nearly always unsafe. Modern locks can be refitted while keeping the original integrity of the house.

* Keypads are a good alternative to traditional locks in homes that are occupied or accessed by many people.

* Combination keyless locks are a great way to keep certain rooms off limits to anyone but those with the code!

* Be careful who you give your alarm codes and keys to; some alarms now allow you to give each individual their own code so as to monitor their use.

YOUR HOUSE: WINDOWS & DOORS

* All exterior doors should be solid-core doors with heavy-duty dead bolts installed in a sturdy frame with long screws so they can't be kicked open.

* Keeping your door open during the day may let in the sunlight ... and thieves! So install a storm door with a lock to keep sunlight in — and burglars out.

* Place security bars over your basement windows and around your home's removable AC units to prevent intruders from crawling inside.

* Apply window film to make your glass shatterproof; tinted film can further prevent thieves from window-shopping and even block out UV rays so furniture won't be damaged by the sun. Frosting over windows is also a good option. Also, assess your glass doors. Ideally, any glass doors in your home are double-paned, heavy-duty laminated glass; if not, consider replacing them, or install window film and metal security grills on the doors.

* A broken window is both an open invitation and a sign to intruders that other entry points may be just as neglected. Replace or repair windows as soon as possible.

* Use curtains or blinds over any windows or doors that are easy to see into.

* A peephole allows you to see who is at your door without having to open it and without them looking into your home.

* Keep a wooden dowel or stick in the track of sliding glass doors to prevent them from being opened from the outside if the lock is broken.

* Keep expensive equipment and items away from your windows.

* Make sure skylights and roof-access areas are properly secured with heavy-duty hardware.

YOUR GARAGE

* Treat any door to your garage like an external door, which means making sure it has a good dead bolt on it.

* Keep your car locked with the alarm on, even in your garage, and consider additional anti-theft devices such as The Club or an automobile tracking device, which allows owners to keep tabs on their vehicle through a GPS system.

* A large key lockbox in the garage is the perfect location for storing rarely used car keys.

* By cutting the release cord located on your electric garage-door opener, you prevent intruders from gaining easy access to your home through your garage window. If you need the cord, use a clothes hanger in its place.

* Make sure garage lights can be turned on from inside the house so you never have to walk into a dark garage.

* Change your garage-door opener code. New openers come with factory-set codes that are meant to be changed, but many people neglect to do so. Burglars will scour neighborhoods with common brands of remote openers, looking for garage doors that will open.

YOUR YARD

* Keep ladders, garbage cans, building supplies and tools locked up out of view so you don't provide an intruder with the means to break into your home.

* Put big, bold numbers on your mailbox so your home can easily be identified in case of an emergency.

* Never put your name on your mailbox. Anyone can call directory assistance, get your number, and find out you aren't home.

* Don't hide a spare key near your front door; burglars know all the hiding places. Leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor instead.

* Planting thorny shrubs, rosebushes or cacti around the outside of your home can discourage burglars from entering your property.

* Placing alarm-company signs, neighborhood-watch decals or dog notices on your property tells burglars to steer clear of your home. Having these signs as a deterrent is only good if you can back them up. Don't rely on them or mistake them as doing the job of the real thing.

* Trim shrubs and trees so they do not provide hiding places for an intruder. Remove tree limbs that could allow someone to climb to an upper-story window or balcony.

* Harmless fog machines can be installed to "scare" intruders off your property.

* A solid privacy fence can provide a burglar with cover to break into your home. Consider an iron railing (topped with spikes, to discourage climbers), picket or chain-link fence instead. If you have a gate, install a strong magnetic lock on it to prevent intruders from easily penetrating the perimeter of your property.

* Keep all points of entry to your home well-lit. Consider installing motion-sensor lights on the rear and sides of your home and position them in out-of-reach places so they can't easily be turned off by a would-be thief.

* Spending most of your day in the back yard may be relaxing, but it leaves you clueless as to what's going on out front. Consider an intercom system featuring motion-sensor video that turns on when someone approaches your house. If you live on your own, consider implementing a camera-bell so you can see who is approaching.

* If you have video surveillance cameras, get a lockbox to store the central recording device. That way, a thief can't make off with the record of their crime.

* Baby video monitors can double as surveillance monitors for other points on your property.

* If you travel a lot, surveillance cameras around your property — with viewing access through the Internet — will allow you to keep an eye on your home while you're gone.

* Install cameras that operate off a motion sensor to keep from wasting valuable hard-drive space for your video files.

* Consider buying a wireless annunciator, which will alert you — anywhere in your home — when someone comes up your driveway or otherwise enters your property within 50 feet of its range.

YOUR VALUABLES AND IDENTITY

* Having photos, videos and serial numbers of your valuables can be extremely helpful in identifying your stolen goods.

* Contact the manufacturers of some of your valuables, as they may have advice or additional products on how to better secure and protect them from thieves.

* Get your driver's license number (NOT your Social Security number) engraved on any expensive electronic equipment. Doing so can not only assist in their return, but can actually dissuade theft: Marked property is difficult to sell or pawn.

* Invisible-ink pens can be used to identify your property. Again, using your driver's license number as an I.D., a simple ultraviolet light on stolen property will show the police who the real owner is.

* Photocopy receipts of expensive items and store them in a safe place so you have proof of purchase for insurance reasons.

* Use a bolted-down safe or a heavy-duty filing cabinet with a lock that cannot be carried out of the house to store important documents, information and valuables. It's a simple investment that will protect vital possessions.

* Shredding documents with personal information (such as bank and credit-card statements or anything with a Social Security number on it) will keep a burglar or someone looking through your trash from finding your information and assuming your identity.

* Credit cards are immediate cash — keep records of what cards you have, always keep them signed on the back and any surplus cards should be kept in a safe.

* Keep equipment for expensive hobbies (boats, Jet Skis, golf clubs, etc.) covered up — even better, keep them locked up out of sight.

* What you think is well hidden is nearly always easy pickings for burglars, so lock things up instead of keeping them in "clever" hiding places like the freezer, the bag of sugar or the cookie jar.

* Leaving empty boxes from your new computer, DVD player or TV on the curb for trash pickup advertises that you have things worth stealing in your home. Break boxes down or cut them up to conceal what they contained.

* A computer lock is an easy and inexpensive way to protect valuable personal or customer information. Computers are expensive items to replace. Keep track of all your computers through a GPS system.

* Blank CDs are a cheap and easy way to back up information on your computer in case it's stolen.

* Instead of keeping jewels hidden in your home, a safe-deposit box is a smart place to keep valuables secure from theft. If you insist on keeping them in the house, lock your jewelry and other valuables in a bolted-down floor safe.

* Keep information about your safe-deposit box separate from any personal identification documents such as passports or Social Security cards. If these documents are stolen, you could suffer further losses if someone is able to use them to gain access to your safe-deposit box.

* Secure furs like you would any other valuable: Keep them in a closet with a dead bolt, and be sure to monogram or write your name on the skin of your fur to aid identification and recovery in case it is stolen.

* Be sure to lock your bikes and four-wheelers to a bolted-down surface.

* For pricey heirlooms, get serious about securing them. First, invest in an appraiser to have a firm dollar figure on your valuables. Then photograph, catalogue and put them on your homeowner's policy. So if a heist ever goes down, you're covered.

* An art-security hanger makes a painting difficult to remove from the wall by "locking" it in place. In addition, a product like "DataDots" records identification information on an adhesive the size of a grain of sand, so your artwork is traceable if stolen.

YOUR VACATION

* Set lights on timers or light sensors to turn on and off in the evening. A TV or radio can also be set on a timer to add to the illusion that someone is at home.

* Suspend newspaper delivery so papers do not pile up in front of your house.

* If you have a separate mailbox, rather than a mail slot, put your mail on hold.

* Ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your house and pick up any mail, fliers, newspapers, packages, etc., left outside, and shovel your walkways if it snows.

* If you use a yard service, make sure they come to your house while you're away. An overgrown lawn is a good sign that no one is home.

* Leave a car in your driveway, or ask a neighbor to park there.

* Don't record a new message on your home answering machine indicating where you are or how long you'll be away. You'll be issuing an open invitation for someone to rob your house.

* Leave shades, curtains and blinds in their normal positions. Covered windows during the daytime indicate an empty house.

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS

* Getting to know your neighbors will help them to immediately alert you of any suspicious behavior on your property. Notifying them when you're going away and how you can be contacted in case of emergency will allow you to be aware of a crisis as soon as it occurs. However, although your neighbors may be trustworthy, they may not spot anything different if a robber is at work in your house. Don't solely count on them to protect your home while you're away.

* Don't be fooled into thinking that just because your neighbors can see local comings and goings that they will question anything unusual. Good thieves make themselves blend in.

* Be careful to whom you disclose personal information. Don't discuss vacation plans or expensive hobbies in public places — you never know who's listening!

* If you're a professional working out of your house, rather than use your home address on your business cards or Web site, rent a post-office box instead.

* Becoming involved in a neighborhood association or neighborhood watch will give you information you need to know about any suspicious activity in your area.

* Be informed: Check your local newspaper for crime reports in your neighborhood.

* It doesn't matter what environment or community your home is in, thieves are impervious to them.

* If you come home and something looks questionable — a slit screen, a broken window, an open door — don't go inside! Call the police from your neighbor's or from your cell phone.

* If you are new to homeownership, contact your local crime-prevention organization for advice on how to start securing your home. With no super to rely on, all those jobs will need attention from you now!

* Burglars often target the elderly, so be friendly and keep an eye out for local retirees.

* Fire doors are meant to let a person safely exit a building in case of fire — not to let a burglar safely enter it. Keep your hardware updated and the doors closed.

* When living with multiple people, make sure everyone understands the importance of home security. It only takes one person to leave everyone else vulnerable. But don't rely on others; keep your private possessions locked away.

* If you have had a bad experience already with a crook — learn from it — don't just think bad luck won't strike twice!

* A security robot is an innovative way to keep track of what's going on in your home while you are away. The robot provides mobile interior video surveillance and audio capability so you can view different areas of your home while the robot travels about. At the same time, you can view your home via the Internet and type in what you want the robot to speak so they can tell a thief to get lost and that cops are on the way!

« back

Picture: DCI |

By visiting this site, you agree to the terms and conditions
of our Visitor Agreement. Please read. Privacy Policy.
Copyright © 2008 Discovery Communications

The leading global real-world media and entertainment company.