Additional Means of Residential Prevention and Protection

Do Not Reward the Burglar Who Does Get In

If, despite your precautions, a burglar does get into your home, do not give him a "bonus" of cash or easily-carried jewelry. Never keep large sums of money around the house. Keep valuable jewelry that you do not often use in a safe or safe deposit box or a security closet.

Creating a Secondary Barrier or Security Closet

A secondary barrier or security closet can be created as an additional safeguard. An existing closet can be used to store jewelry, furs, camera equipment, guns, silverware and other valuables. For a security closet to be effective the door should be solid core and equipped with a single cylinder deadbolt lock. The hinges of the door should be pinned.

Don't Welcome Burglars by Telephone

Burglars sometimes try to find out if anyone is home by telephoning your residence. If you get several suspicious "wrong Number" calls or "nobody-at-the-other-end" calls, report it to the police. Warn family members, especially children, not to give out information by phone - especially about who is home, who is out, how long anyone is expected to be out.

If you use an answering machine, do not indicate on the recording that you will be gone for a specific time. A more appropriate message is that you are unavailable at this time and you will return the call as soon as possible.

Insure Against Theft / Burglary

A homeowner's policy provides basic economic protection against burglary and other types of theft, regardless of whether you own a house or rent an apartment. Special policies designed for mobile homes owners and condominium unit owners serve the same purpose. If you do not already have such a policy, it is suggested you purchase one without delay. (Ask your insurance company if they offer any discounts for certain home security precautions such as i.e., install deadbolt locks, participate in Operation Identification, etc.)

Appearance of Occupancy

Maintaining an appearance of occupancy, even when your residence is vacant, is essential to thwarting burglary attempts. Timers which automatically regulate the interior lighting of a home can create a significant deception. Timers should be used while on vacation, when you are out to dinner or even during the day while you are at work.

One type of automatic timer has a 24-hour dial and allows you to set an on-and-off time to coincide with normal light usage in your home. These timers simply plug into the wall, and the lamp you want to use is plugged into the timer.

For the most realistic deception, several timers and lamps should be used to simulate occupancy. For instance, a radio and lamp in the living room might be on from 6:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.; at 11:00 p.m. a lamp might go on in the bathroom until 11:30 p.m.; then a bedroom lamp would be on from 11:30 to midnight as an example. This would indicate to anyone watching the house that it was occupied and the residents were going to bed.

During the day, leave drapes and shades in their normal position - the way you have them when at home.