You probably don’t like to think about crime, but no matter where you live, your income or your lifestyle, crime is a fact of life. That doesn’t mean you have to be defenseless. Put the following crime prevention tips into action to help deter crime and make your family and home more secure.
- Lighten Up! Leave your outside lights on at night. If your neighborhood is dimly lit, ask your municipal authorities to add streetlights or replace existing bulbs with higher watt bulbs. In most cases, your local power company will add a street light to a pole in front of your home for a nominal monthly fee. Leave one or two lamps on inside your house when you’re not at home.
- Trim the Hedges. Tall hedges provide hiding places for potential burglars. Keep your trimmed so that they’re no higher than your windowsills.
- NO Notes. Never leave notes on your door, even when you’re at home.
- Make Noise. Tune the stereo or TV to your favorite station when you leave the house. To a burglar it means that someone’s home.
- Don’t Provide Access. Close and lock garage doors to protect valuables stored there and to prevent access to your house.
- Be Careful with Spare Keys! If you leave a spare key outside, be creative. Burglars routinely check under flowerpots and welcome mats and on window ledges.
- Lock Up! Reliable dead bolt door locks and sturdy window latches help prevent break ins.
- Install Peepholes. Peepholes with magnifying lenses let you see who’s at your door – without opening it.
- Make Your Mark. Permanently mark your valuables to make it easier for the police to return them to you if they are stolen. Keep a record of marked objects.
- Park in the Driveway. Park an additional car in your driveway or ask a neighbor to park there. It gives the appearance that someone’s always home and prevents burglars from backing a van into the drive for easy loading.
- Have Your Home Watched while you’re Away. Ask a neighbor to collect newspapers and mail when you’re away. If you’ll be gone for an extended period, hire someone to take care of your lawn or even to house sit.
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