Home Security from ADT  Security Services, Inc.

As the weather gets warmer and the sun begins to shine, we in the Inland Northwest begin to think of ways to cure our cabin fever brought on by the long winter.  It’s time to get the boats, motorcycles, and campers out of storage and prepare them for the upcoming summer weekends and longer vacations.  Unfortunately, this is also the time when criminals begin to prepare for their own summer activities, which might include breaking into your home while you are away.  Here are some general facts about burglary:

• 66.2% of all reported burglaries were residential
• 63.1% of residential burglaries occurred during the day
• The average dollar loss per burglary offense was $1834
• A burglary occurs in the U.S. every 14.4 seconds

With these facts in mind, let’s look at some steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming a victim.

One of the things I do when I conduct a security review for a customer is to take a walk around the outside of their home.  I’ve known many burglars over the years, and through my observations and conversations with them I have a good understanding of what they are looking for in terms of a target.  By thinking like a burglar, it becomes easier to identify and fix potential problems that could leave the customer vulnerable.  Here are some good ideas:

• Make sure your exterior doors are high quality, solid-core construction.  The door hinges should be on the inside to prevent the intruder from removing the hinge pins.
• Buy high-quality deadbolt locks (minimum 1” bolt) for your exterior doors, and consult with your locksmith to be sure that the locks are resistant to picking and lock-bumping.
• Sliding glass doors and windows should also be equipped with secondary locking devices to make them more secure.
• Repair all broken exterior lights, and consider installing motion-activated or photo-electric lights to illuminate dark areas around the exterior of your home.
• Don’t store ladders or tools outside your home that would make it easier for an intruder to gain entry.
• Don’t hide keys in mailboxes, under doormats, or on top of door frames where they can be found by an intruder.  And no, that hollow fake rock in your garden isn’t fooling anyone, either.
• Don’t provide any natural cover for an intruder.  Trim all shrubs and bushes at least 6” below your windows, and trim all tree limbs at least 8’ from the ground so the exterior of your home will be visible to neighbors and passers-by.
• Don't tip off criminals by allowing mail, newspapers or flyers to accumulate while you're away. Have the post office hold your mail, and have a neighbor or friend pick up newspapers and clear away flyers.
• Have someone maintain your lawn while you are away to keep your home looking lived-in.
• Videotape and/or photograph your jewelry and valuables and record an inventory with their descriptions and values.  Don’t forget to record serial numbers, and consider engraving larger valuables with your driver’s license number.  Keep the tapes, photos, and inventory in a safe place away from your home, such as a safety deposit box.
• Get to know your neighbors.  Consider joining your Neighborhood Crime Watch Association.  If there isn’t a Crime Watch group in your neighborhood, call me and I’ll help you start one!
• If you see any suspicious activity in your neighborhood, CALL THE POLICE!  I can’t tell you how many times that I investigated a burglary and found a neighbor who had noticed a suspicious person or vehicle in the area but didn’t call it in.  They usually told me something like, “I didn’t want to feel silly if it turned out to be nothing.”  Well, they felt even worse when they learned that they could have prevented their neighbor from becoming a burglary victim.

By practicing these simple crime prevention tips, you can significantly decrease your chances of becoming a victim.  Most burglars don’t want to deal with a homeowner who is prepared for them.  There are too many other homeowners who aren’t, and they are a much easier target.

And finally, an ADT security system can be your best line of defense.  Nine out of ten convicted burglars agreed that they would avoid a home that is protected by a burglar alarm.  Have an ADT security system installed and test it regularly according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.  Now, go ahead and pack up the car, gather the family, and head out to the lake for a week.  You can enjoy yourself and not have to spend your vacation worrying if all of your stuff will be there when you get back.  After experiencing the peace of mind that ADT can give you, you will begin wondering how you ever got along without it!