Home Security

COMMUNITY POLICING TIPS…
 

HOME SECURITY: Invest in it now…

If you were locked out of your house, would you still be able to get in? Maybe you keep an unlocked window in the back, or a hidden key in the mailbox or on top of a window ledge?

You may think this is a good idea, but guess what? If you can break in, so can a burglar!

One out of ten homes will be burglarized this year. For a small amount of time and money you can make your home more secure and reduce your chances of becoming a victim.

Check the Locks!

  • Make sure every external door has a sturdy, well-installed dead bolt lock. Key-in-the-knob locks alone are not enough.
  • Sliding glass doors can offer easy access if they are not properly secured. You can secure them by installing commercially available locks or putting a broomstick or dowel in the inside track to jam the door. To prevent the door being lifted off the track, drill a hole through the sliding door frame and the fixed frame. Then insert a pin in the hole.
  • Lock double-hung windows with key locks or “pin” windows by drilling a small hole into a 45° angle between the inner and outer frames, then insert a nail that can be removed. Secure basement windows with a grille or grates.
  • Instead of hiding keys around the outside of your home, give an extra key to a neighbor you trust.
  • When you move into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks.

Check the Doors!

  • All outside doors should be metal or solid wood.
  • If your doors don’t fit tightly in their frames, install weather-stripping around them.
  • Install a peephole or wide-angle viewer in all entry doors so you can see who is outside without opening the door. Door chains break easily and don’t keep out intruders.

Check the Outside!

  • Thieves hate bright lights. Install outside lights and keep them on at night.
  • Keep your yard clean. Prune back shrubbery so it doesn’t hide doors or windows. Cut back tree limbs that a thief could use to climb to an upper-level window.
  • Clearly display your house number so police and other emergency vehicles can find your home quickly.
  • If you travel, create the illusion that you’re at home by getting some timers that will turn lights on and off in different areas of your house throughout the evening. Lights burning 24 hours a day signal an empty house.
  • Leave shades, blinds, and curtains in normal positions. And don’t let your mail pile up! Call the post office to stop delivery or have a neighbor pick it up.
  • Ask local law enforcement for a free home security survey.

Consider an Alarm!

  • Check with several companies before you buy so you can decide what level of security fits your needs. Do business with an established company and check references before signing a contract.
  • Learn how to use your system properly!  Don’t “cry wolf” by setting off false alarms. People will stop paying attention and you will probably be fined.
  • Some less expensive options…a sound-detecting socket that plugs into a light fixture and makes the light flash when it detects certain noises, motion-sensing outdoor lights that turn on when someone approaches, or lights with photo cells that turn on when it’s dark and off when it’s light.

This information is provided by the Cranford Police Community Policing Unit and the National Crime Prevention Council. You can reach the Community Policing Unit at 908-272-8989.