Crime Prevention Tips
Burglary is always a crime of opportunity. Here are some interesting facts you should know about burglary:
• Studies show that most burglars attack during the daytime when dense bushes and trees protect them from view, and the building appears unoccupied.
• One-third of burglars enter from the basement.
• One-third of burglars force entry through a window or door.
The following are some tips to help you prevent a burglar from entering your home:
Tips For Inside Your Home
The goal of indoor crime proofing is to secure your premises, and to make them appear occupied at all times. Here are a few simple tips:
Secure your premises
• Close blinds and curtains at night so that a burglar can't scope your belongings.
• Lock all doors and windows before leaving.
• Lock windows so that they can't be opened from the outside. If they can't be locked, you can pin them by drilling a hole through both window frames and inserting a bolt or metal pin. The pin must be easily removable for emergency situations.
• Home burglar alarm systems are a great deterrent. Even if you have an alarm system, don't neglect the other security measures availavle to you. An alarm provides an extra layer of security, but is no replacement for good common sense. Alarm owners should still do what they can to make sure their home is not an attractive target for thieves.
Make your home look occupied at all times
• Leave a radio on when you are away from your home for short periods of time.
• Consider marking your valuables indelibly (engraved) with your drivers licence or social insurance number.
• Take an inventory of your home with a videotape and/or photographs
• Keep jewellery and negotiables in a safety deposit box or an unlikely place (i.e. Not your bedroom)
Tips For Outside Your Home
There are many things that you can do to the exterior of your house or in the yard to deter burglars and make it more difficult to force entry.
• Keep your shrubbery cut back so that it doesn't block windows and doors.
• Secure window air conditioners from the inside.
• Exterior doors should be solid, not hollow. Metal doors provide the best protection against forced entry.
• Secure and glass that is less that 40' from a door lock. Either coat exterior glass with an acrylic or polycarbonate to strengthen, or replace with laminated or tempered glass.
• Dogs are great deterrents to burglars. Even a strategically placed "Beware of Dog" sticker can make a burglar think twice. Of course, vicious dogs are never a good idea. If your dog bites someone, you might find yourself in court. A dog that barks is better than one that bites.