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There is a burglary every 15 seconds in
the United States - and more than 6 million home break-ins every
year.
The good news: Your house doesn't
have to be one of them. There is plenty you can do, experts
say, to make it tougher for housebreakers to make off with your
hard-earned, perhaps irreplacable personal property.
What to do Inside Your
Home
A few smart moves within your house can
keep a burglar out - or at lease minimize his haul.
Put lights
and a radio or a television on timers. People
who leave the lights on all day "might as well put out a sign in
their front yard saying they are out of town," says Ann Lindstrom of
ADT Security Services, the nation's oldest alarm-system
company. Look for the type of timer that can be set for random
on and off times (one brand is Leviton, about $40 each).
Otherwise, it is too easy for crooks to get wise to the fact your
lights are coming on at the same time every night.
Don't rely on
your dog. You would like to believe that your
"vicious" golden retriever will scare off burglars. And
although barking may persuade them to skip your house, you should
not count on it. "Most of us train dogs to be friendly to
strangers," says Frank Santamorena, an expert on the Discovery
Channel's burglary-prevention show, "It Takes a
Thief." Some thieves even bring dog biscuits.
Close most
shades. If a thief can't see inside, he won't
know whether there's anything worth stealing, says Lauren Russ,
executive director of the nonprofit Burglary Prevention Council
(BPC). But keep a few shades open on the second floor to make
it look as if someone is home.
Lock up
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. Santamorena likes the Gardall brand (from about $300,
depending on the size).
Keep
two jewelry boxes. Store inexpensive pieces in
the nice 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.
Lock away
guns. Weapons are attractive to thieves, so if
you have them in the house, hide them in a safe, just as you would
conceal other valuables.
Make
your things harder to sell. Use an
engraving pen (sold at hardware stores) to mark big-ticket items,
like electronics and computers. Prominently engrave your
initials and driver's license number (not your Social Security
number) on the back. Since many pawn shops won't accept
ID-engraved items or are required by law to report them to police,
burglars may pass on them. At the very least, you will have a
better chance of recovering them.
Get an alarm
system. A recent survey by Temple University
researchers found that alarms, when used in combination with other
percautions, reduce the likelihood of burglary by as much as
66%.
All monitored electronic-security systems
are operated through phone lines. More recent types have
backup service that uses cellular technology or digital radio, so if
the line is cut or the power goes out, you are still
protected. This can add a few hundred dollars to the bill, but
experts say it is a must. Expect to pay at least $350 for
installation and $35 a month in monitoring fees. Some of these
costs can be offset by the savings on your homeowner's insurance
policy, so make sure you inform your agent if you should install a
security system.
Certified Security
Systems
509-922-9111
ADT Security
Systems 1-800-238-2727
Brinks Security
Systems
509-462-2106 Allied Fire and
Security
509-624-3152
What to do Outside Your
Home
A thief usually assesses your house from
the street first. Take these steps and he'll avoid
yours:
Evaluate the
landscaping. Is that lovely flowering dogwood
a good hiding spot for someone trying to open a
ground-floor window? "Prune back shrubbery from windows,
doors, and walkways," says Russ. She also adds, "Examine the
'climbability' of tall trees near second-floor windows." Prune
these as well so burglars can not use them like
ladders.
Check the
lighting Every exterior door should be
illuminated with at least a 40-watt bulb. Experts recommend
easy to install motion-detecting light sensors (about $20 each at
home-improvement stores). Thieves want anonymity." says
Santamorena. " If a spotlight shines on them the second they
step on your property, they'll keep moving." Random timers are
also a good idea, especially if you typically arrive home after
dark.
Secure
windows and sliding glass doors. Look for
windows made with laminated glass, which is not as breakable as
tempered glass. Sliding glass doors are notoriously simple for
thieves to get open, so put a metal bar or a solid-wood dowel in the
tracking to secure the door when it is closed, says Terri Kelly,
managing director of Community Outreach and Government Relations for
the National Crime Prevention Council.
Install--and
use--reliable locks. In about 32% of home
burglaries, there is not sign of forced entry, meaning the burglar
entered through an unlocked door or open door or window. It
takes most burglars less than 60 seconds to get
inside, according to the BPC, and they typically enter through
the front door.
For all exterior doors, plus the door
inside the garage that leads into the house, choose high-quality
dead bolts (such as ASSA, Abloy, Medeco, or the Schlage Primus,
which start at around $140). If the lock is near a window
or within 40 inches of a glass pane, install a double-cylinder dead
bolt, which can be opened from the inside and the outside only with
a key. (This way, burglars can't break the glass, reach in,
and turn the lock.) It's best to use a locksmith who is a
certified dealer of the brand you want, says Santamorena. (To find a
locksmith, visit the manufacturer's Web site.)
Fortify your
doors. Exterior doors, including the garage
door, should be solid wood, fiberglass or steel, and the hinges
should be on the inside, not the outside. If you do have
exterior hinges and don't want to move them, Santamoreno suggests
that you at least secure them with a locking pin, which makes the
hinges difficult to remove.
Put the
street number, not your name, on the mailbox to
avoid what Kelly calls one of the oldest tricks in the book:
"Thieves dial information with your name and street address, and
then call to see if anyone's home." But make sure your house
number is clearly marked so emergency personnel can find
you.
Advertise an
alam system, even if you don't have one. While
it is best to have the real deal, just posting a lawn sign or a
sticker will help, says Russ. Try to get one from a friend or
neighbor who has an alarm; experienced thieves can spot a
fake.
Declutter the
yard. When you are out or away, don't leave
tools, ladders or even toys lying around. Theives can use them
to break into your house.
Forget the
fake rock and other hide-a-key tricks. Thieves
know all the hiding spots you've though of. "You can't fool a
burglar by putting a key above the doorjamb, under the doormat, or
beneath a plastic figurine in your yard," says Santamorena.
Give a spare key to a trusted neighbor, or buy a steel combination
lockbox made specifically for keys. (One model is the GE AccessPoint
KeySafe, from $40. Bolt it to something on the property that
is easy for everyone in your family to access. "These
lockboxes are so reliable that I've installed them right next to the
door," says Santamorena.
Don't leave
your garage-door opener exposed. Burglars can
swipe a garage-door operner from an unlocked car and use it later to
get into the house.
Censor your
trash. The box your new flat-screen TV came in
announces that you have items worth stealing. "Cut the
carton up and tie the pieces together before you put them out on the
curb," says Russ.
What to do When you go on
Vacation
Make sure you can really relax on your
next getaway by taking these extra safety precautions:
Enlist a
trusted neighbor or family member to keep an eye
out, park a car in your driveway, and have the lawn
mowed or walks shoveled. The fewer clues you give that your
house is unoccupied, the better.
Don't leave
e-mail or phone messages saying you are away.
Forego the "automatic vacation reply" feature on e-mail and keep a
generic message on your answering machine. Use call forwarding
to screen phone calls from the road.
Suspend
delivery of newspapers and mail, or have someone
collect them for you. Avoid telltale pileups. To a
thief, they're an open invitation.
For more
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