Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
1
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Contents
How to Recognize If Someone Is In Your House the Moment You Step Into the
Door .......................................................................................................................................... 3
How to Place Subtle Clues That Will Tell You That Someone Has Been Into
Your Home While You Were Away ................................................................................. 29
Secret Hideout Places in Your Home If a Burglar Comes Into Your House and
You Need To Hide............................................................................................................... 30
Worst Mistakes When You Come Face To Face With a Burglar ............................. 31
Special Places to Start Your Relevant Documents and Identity Papers .............. 37
How to Avoid Being a Victim If You Are Surprised By a Criminal in Your Home
.................................................................................................................................................. 41
2
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
How to Recognize If Someone Is In Your House the Moment
You Step Into the Door
Have you ever came home and heard those mysterious creaking noises
or doors squeaking? It sounds like somebody is in your house who doesn't
belong here. Is there somebody, or is it in your imagination?
3
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
You'll know someone is in your house if something dramatically
changes.
Make some noise. If you want to be "entirely" safe, when you're all alone,
make some noise to "show" that there is someone in the house.
Always keep a phone beside you! Remember, if you hear some serious
noises call the local police - or, if it's a real emergency, 911. They will assist
you as quickly as possible.
4
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Trusting Your Home Security Company
Do you trust the home security company who is responsible for the
security of you, your family and your possessions? If the answer is no, it is
time to seriously reevaluate your decision to continue employing this
company as your home security provider. Trust in your home security
company just cannot be underestimated. Your home security company holds
a significant amount of responsibility, and if your instincts are telling you
that they are not the right company for the job, it is time to begin an
intensive search for a new home security company.
How do you know if you can trust your home security company?
Relying on instincts alone is not the answer. It might be the driving force to
investigate your home security company, but it is usually not the sole factor
that prompts a change in security firms. A home security company that has
been around for quite some time and has relatively few consumer complaints
listed with the Better Business Bureau is likely to be trustworthy.
5
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Idealistically, you would have carefully investigated your home security
company before you chose them. However, if you did not do your research
beforehand, it is not too late to attempt to require some background
information on your current home security company. The Better Business
Bureau and consumer advocate groups can provide you with information
regarding the past performance of your home security company. In most
cases, past performance is a relatively accurate predictor of future
performance.
6
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Best Secrets to Making Your Home Crime-Proof
7
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Confusion can be an ally in the security of your home.
8
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
the offender without them being able to see you. It is important to remember
that lights such as these should be placed out of arms reach. When this tip is
not followed, burglars realize the lights may be easily destroyed on a
subsequent visit. Another satisfying feature of motion sensing lighting is its
ability to operate using much less electricity than traditional dusk to dawn
light.
Burglaries are an ongoing issue, and homeowners can provide the most
effective means of thwarting robbery attempts.
Usual suspects are primarily males under 25 years of age. They are
typically looking for easily portable items like jewelry, cash, guns and laptop
computers that can easily be sold. While force of entry can and is used in
many burglaries, the primary choice of a robber has easily accessed
properties. Three of the best deterrents we know of are proper lighting, lack
of ready accessibility to your home and security home systems or burglar
alarms. When these three are combined, burglars are more than willing to
avoid your home. You are no longer viewed as an easy target. Should your
neighborhood provide a united front by including these features in the
majority of homes, you will discover a more secure atmosphere for your
family.
9
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
I know that lighting alone cannot prevent crime nor can it assure the
ultimate safety of your family, but statistics prove that a well-lit property
is an effective crime deterrent and is regularly used as a primary
component in comprehensive home security plans.
Weed your garden and shovel your walk. I recommend you to maintain
your yard because if you don‘t it looks like you‘re not home and that‘s very
inviting. Also tall, overgrown shrubs make it easy for a thief to break in
without someone noticing them. A wild landscape provides cover to an
intruder and can make it easier for thieves to climb in, so keep your lawn
and garden tidy.
You see often barred windows in high-crime areas because all glass is
vulnerable. Anyone can break it. The burglars can simply crack a window. If
your windows are uncrackable small-time thieves are thwarted. Double-
glazed windows are an expense, but they also help to insulate your home
10
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
more efficiently and cut down on street noise. Can‘t afford it? At least, keep
your windows locked. I will tell you more information about resistant glass
later in this book.
“It used to be that the only way your security system could contact a
monitoring center was through a landline phone connection. Now, with
new technologies, you have several different options.” by specialists of
Safewise company
Home security monitoring does not mean that there will be 24 hours a
day surveillance of your home to ensure that your home is protected from a
burglar. At least, it does not mean that in a literal sense but home security
monitoring does provide you and your family 24 hours a day protection from
burglars and in some cases, even fire. The level of protection that you
receive will depend on the complexity of your home security system and the
capabilities of the security provider you have chosen. The one thing in home
security monitoring that is relatively similar no matter which provider or
system you choose is the sequence of events that occur while the security
11
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
system is in use. This book will provide a brief synopsis of how home
security monitoring works.
12
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
30 seconds to deactivate the alarm before the home security alarm system
takes the next step.
13
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Your needs
Study your needs. The type of security measures installed will depend
on your particular security needs. For example how large is the area you
would like covered? How many cameras will it take to monitor this area? You
must make sure the security camera system you will purchase can
accommodate enough slots for expansion.
Do you need audio too? Some cameras systems have audio recording
equipment as well so you can not only see what happens but hear it as well.
It is important in cases when you would like everything documented.
However, this may be costly. Many establishments only require video records
of their security.
Also, you must ascertain whether you need to have your security
cameras record in color or black and white. Color cameras are, of course,
14
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
more sophisticated and show a clearer picture. However, they tend to be
pricey. Color cameras might also not work in low-light situations.
Consider the location of the cameras. Will the location be hard to set
up a wiring system in? In that case, you may want to consider wireless
security camera systems. However, these cameras must be in a place that is
conducive to high-quality broadcast. There must be no interference. They
can, though, be moved to the area. They are a bit more flexible than their
fixed-wire cousins. If you install a wireless camera, anyone can triangulate
the signal and locate its position.
Also, you must take into consideration the lighting for an area. If
your camera cannot record a scene due to bad light, you will end up with
blurred images that won‘t help in your surveillance activities. Choose a
security camera that has a good sensitivity to light. Also, try to illuminate
such areas as external lighting.
You must consider where the power sources will be located. Make
sure they are well protected from the elements and from tampering.
Find the available methods for recording the images. You may use a
variety of backup media. And with the advent of computer storage media,
even the use of hard disks, compact discs, and DVDs can prove to be an
inexpensive way to store your data.
15
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Installing a Security Camera System
16
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
5. Organize an archival system according to your needs. Backing up
and recording your images are implemented here.
Don‘t let your security needs tick away as the seconds on a clock. You
can get a covert hidden camera disguised as a beautiful mantel clock or a
clock radio. You have heard of clock watchers, well, now the clock can watch
you.
17
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Wireless Home Security Systems an Apt Answer to Home Security
Concerns
There is no denying the fact that all these traditional home security
measures are quite effective. However, wireless home security systems seem
to have an edge over these traditional home security measures.
18
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
3. Flexibility (in altering your home security plan): With a wireless
security system, you can easily alter your home security plan whenever
you want e.g. the location of outdoor wireless security cameras can be
easily changed in a hassle-free manner. On the contrary, a wired home
security system would have you thinking about the wiring plan and the
related hassle even before you can think of altering your home security
plan.
4. Cleaner look: One very distinctive advantage with wireless home
security systems is that they are not at all messy. While a wired
security system would have wires running all through your house
(unless you want to compromise on your home security), a wireless
security system (due to its inherent ‗wireless‘ nature) would give a
much cleaner look and without any compromises on the security of
your home.
5. Extra safe: Wireless security can also be considered safer than the
wired security. A wired security system can quickly become un-
operational if the wires get severed either due to lack of maintenance
or due to intentional tampering by burglars etc. However, wireless
home security is difficult to tamper with in that sense (sophisticated
thieves/burglars might still be able to tamper low-end wireless security
systems using devices that disrupt the wireless signals).
6. Ease of maintenance: A wired security system is as such bulky (since
the wires used for a wired security system also form part of the
security system). Maintaining a bulky system is generally tougher and
needs much more effort than a simple, less bulky one. The wires
might need replacements or re-anchoring or re-routing etc. In case you
go for a home improvement, your wired security systems might get
affected quite a bit. However, with wireless security all these problems
are non-existent and hence their maintenance is quite easy.
Wireless security is often treated as the most apt answer to the home
security concerns. However, the best thing to do is to use a combination of
19
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
traditional home security techniques together with some of the wireless
home security systems.
20
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
the long-term you will realize that the money saved wasn‘t worth it. Why save
a couple of dollars only to have a false sense of security? It is far better to
invest a little extra now than to risk your home, the safety of your family as
well as your own when intruders break-in later.
I hope that this guide to saving money on a home security system has
put you on the right track. Remember that you must strive to achieve a
balance of maximum benefits and protection while keeping the costs to a
minimum.
But more than the insurance to protect them from the losses, a more
important thing to consider is to install alarms to monitor and alert
authorities on unauthorized entry and in cases of fire.
21
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Here are a few things to think about before going on buying one.
22
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Decide on the alarm system company to install the security
devices.
Make sure that the company does a free survey and inspection. Ask for
the installer‘s recommendation, explanation for his assessment and the price
quote. Have it properly documented so you can compare it with the contract,
once you decided to avail of the services of the company.
It is very important if the people who live in the house getup at night
and roam around the house. Also, consider the presence of pets that can set
off the alarm system.
23
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
If you have a motion sensor, make sure that it is installed in places
high enough not be disturbed by pets. You can also ask about motion
sensors that will not be triggered by pets. These sensors can identify the
size and the weight of the target.
Assess the proper location for the control panel and keypads.
Ideally, a keypad is near the front door for ease in turning the alarm
on/off when leaving the house or upon getting home. Another keypad may
be mounted near the bedrooms, to be a manual trigger, in case the alarm
system did not detect an entry.
There are burglar alarm systems that can also be connected to carbon
monoxide and smoke sensors, flood detectors and the lighting system. This
may be helpful in turning on all the lights during emergencies.
Type of controls
With this information, you can be prepared when selecting what type
of alarm system will be needed for your home.
24
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
“Last summer, my house was robbed while I and my friend were in it! I
had come home from the school, and, as my parents were outside the city, I
invited my friend over for the weekend!
On this night, we had been out for a walk, and got home at about 8
pm! As we settled into playing online, I had seen something move outside my
room! I left the room to have a look. When I got outside the door, a strong,
muscular large hand grasped around my mouth, silencing me, as his other
guided me to the bedroom. As we got into it, he threw me onto my friend
knocking him over. Next he pulled out a knife. I recognized this man; he was
25
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
25, tall and muscular. I had some mutual friends with him on Facebook! He
told us to sit back to back and lock arms. He tied our arms together, our
ankles together, our knees and also our upper bodies together.
He left the room, downstairs, he held a large role of wide red duct
tape, tearing off a piece, he bent down to my friend and smothered his lips,
before adding more tape. Next he came to me! I began begging him to stop;
my screams were muffled as I felt his fingers smother the tape over my
lower face, adding more each time. Then, he stole my PC! After, he
blindfolded us and left. We began struggling; we managed to stand up before
falling back down. We struggled all day and night to escape and only did
when my hand slipped free the next day.
I called the police and told then I knew who he was! My parents came
home immediately! He was caught and reprimanded and has a 12 month
sentence!! I've now stopped announcing to Facebook that I am home
alone.”
There are plenty of other things you can install in your home that
will help to stop a burglar from gaining entry – and many of them are
very simple and inexpensive.
26
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
fences should be high and have some anti-climbing measures (spikes or anti-
climb paint can work well). If you don‘t like fences, get big hedges instead.
Getting a Dog
27
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
How to Make Your Windows Entry-Proof
Savvy homeowners are discovering they can open their home to safety
and a wealth of other benefits with the help of impact-resistant windows and
doors.
The same technology that helps protect a home from a hurricane can
also contribute to preventing a burglar from breaking in, significantly reduce
outdoor noise, block 99 percent of UV rays and cut energy costs.
If your house has windows in a position where they can be quickly and
discreetly accessed from the street, such as basement windows, you should
consider putting metal bars on them.
28
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
How to Place Subtle Clues That Will Tell You That Someone
Has Been Into Your Home While You Were Away
You can place some subtle clues to find out someone has stolen from
your house:
Do not fret too much to leave who knows what clues because the
burglars will let a mess in your house. Certainly, you will notice if someone
broke into your house.
29
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Secret Hideout Places in Your Home If a Burglar Comes Into
Your House and You Need To Hide
Even if you do everything right, a burglar still can make it in, so keep
your stuff out of harm‘s way.
Don‘t keep jewelry in the master bedroom. Burglars want to get out
quick, so if they don‘t find what they‘re looking for in the first 10 minutes,
they‘ll leave rather than search.
You can find your secret places in your house where you can store the
most valuable jewelry safely.
Safe-deposit box
Wardrobe
Nightstand
In a box in/on the closet
Hidden in a drawer
There are multiple places where you can hide your precious things.
30
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Worst Mistakes When You Come Face To Face With a Burglar
Many victims have potentially fatal attitude that it could never happen
to them for any number of wrong reasons:
31
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
They are very nice and quiet high end neighborhood just doesn‘t
subscribe to such things as thefts.
It only happens in ‗bad‘ areas.
The police will prevent it completely because of the higher property
taxes they pay and all the nice new ‗crime prevention‘ equipment they
have
32
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Acute situational awareness is not a natural state of mind. So it must
be developed, and intentionally re-enforced until it is a habit.
Thefts will always prefer the ‗easy‘ targets and breaking doesn‘t always
mean that they have to smash and break in to get in. Every ploy and disguise
known to man has been used to access a secured premise from pizza
deliveries to ‘lost‘ children, to UPS deliveries, to Utility workers knocking to
notify you of a ‘gas leak‘!
For this type of stuff the only assured safe response is to not open the
door and immediately dial 911. That‘s the best thing to do even if it is a
legitimate emergency.
If the person persists at your door, you might try yelling out through
the closed door that you called the police and ‗they‘ll be right there to help
you.‘
In anything like this you should already have your pistol on you after
you call 911 just in case the theft tries a psycho break-in. Daylight thefts can
33
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
involve a ‘team‘ effort and one of them might be posted at other entrances
or exists.
While you‘re waiting for police just situate yourself obliquely to the
area where the burglar would first appear, preferably behind a piece of
furniture for some cover, and if the theft breaks through the door or window,
open fire on them as soon as they are in.
Don‘t think you can open the door as long as you have your gun in
hand because intruders can move fast. They can burst in and knock you
down and take your gun in less than one second.
Make sure you still call 911 first. The dispatcher should easily be able
to connect to the cops knocking at your door for verification. If they can‘t,
have them send a squad car to investigate.
Don‘t go in even if you are armed. Back away, get back in your car and
call the police, and wait for them.
Sometimes the thieves will actually ‗hide in the bushes‘ for a type of
surprise ambush attack on a homeowner when coming in or out. Especially if
they know the times of daily routines from previously chasing out the target.
Ambushes are always hard to defeat.
34
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
moving around there. Acute awareness and planned reaction will go a long
way to change all the dynamics.
If you‘re a trained gunfighter or police officer and have very good anti-
theft sensors/alarms to alert you in advance that somebody is starting to
break in or just entered the immediate ‗forbidden‘ proximity of your house,
it‘s very low odds that the home burglars would be successful in their
attempt.
The reality is that if your initial perimeter egress fortifications were not
optimized and dangerous theft are already inside your home and you are not
yet being directly confronted and attacked, your best option should be to get
out of the house, while you still can.
Also, some people can‘t afford even a decent tactical firearms training
and practice to better the odds of survival. They can just learn basic safety
and handling skills.
Senior citizens are a prime target for home invasions yet many of them
are not healthy enough to enable to maximize their physical capabilities
enough even with some training or knowledge of firearms for effective
confrontational scenarios against pumped up physically superior predators.
35
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
What if you‘re an elderly couple or single person with health issues
living alone on a minimalist budget? So what‘s the single best solution for
them? Do they even have a chance?
They‘ll start by boiling down the home rubbery to its most basic
physical movements and deal with the least complicated universal counter
measures to prevent the home invasion from even happening to begin with.
This ultimately turns out to be the least expensive and almost the most
effective defense tactic of all to stop theft before they start.
36
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Special Places to Start Your Relevant Documents and Identity
Papers
37
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
afforded by home and business safes completes any existing security
monitoring system. Home security safes offer protection of personal
documents, jewelry, and irreplaceable items. Home safes are a major
deterrent from robbery and provide needed protection from fire and climate
changes. Advance Safes offer an extensive inventory of wall safes, floor
safes, fire safes, gun safes, and electronic digital safes. Home safes are a
perfect complement to any home security system.
The fire could destroy your business! In fact, eight companies burn
almost every hour in the U.S. resulting in over 2.3 billion dollars in annual
losses. Unfortunately, seven out of ten businesses have not adequately
protected their vital records. When that information is destroyed a business
often fails. Don‘t become a company that incurs fire damage resulting in
critical loss of data (customer, personnel, accounting files, etc.) by not
utilizing quality fire and data media safes. Survival is possible, but
preparation is necessary.
Multiple-dial locks
One of the simplest types of the combination lock, often used in low-
security situations is the bicycle lock, which uses several rotating discs with
notches cut into them. A pin secures the lock with several teeth on it which
hook into the rotating discs. When the notches in the discs align with the
teeth on the pin, the lock can be opened. This lock is considered to be one
of the least secure types of the combination lock.
38
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Opening a multiple-dial lock without the combination depends on the
slight irregularities in the machining of the parts. Unless the bolt is
machined precisely, when the pin is pulled outward, one of the teeth will pull
more strongly than the others on its corresponding disc. This disc is then
rotated until a slight click is heard, indicating that the tooth has settled into
the notch. The procedure is repeated for the remaining discs, resulting in an
open lock, and a correct combination, in very little time.
Single-dial locks
Combination locks of this type are generally more secure than the
multiple-dial lock, but some of them do have weaknesses. For example, early
combination padlocks made by Master lock could be cracked by pulling on
the shackle of the lock and turning the dial until it stopped; each numeral in
the combination could be revealed in this manner.
39
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Other designs
Many doors use combination locks which require the user to enter a
numeric sequence on a keypad to facilitate entry. These special locks usually
require the additional use of electronic circuitry.
40
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
How to Avoid Being a Victim If You Are Surprised By a
Criminal in Your Home
Avoid searching for an intruder. We've all seen movies where the
homeowner grabs a bat and sneaks through the house searching for an
intruder. It's best, though, to avoid confrontation with the intruder if at all
possible.
41
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Come up with a simple code word that your family will recognize in an
emergency. If you need to warn your family members about an
invasion, it's a very good idea to have a code worked out in advance.
You can shout this simple word or phrase, such as ―ESCAPE!‖ to put
them on the alert so that they can escape or run to a safe place.
Designate a safe room. If you're not able to get out of the house, having
a designated safe room (or even closet) can be a good idea.
If at all possible, try to make your way to this safe place if you hear an
intruder in your home.
Make sure your safe room locks from the inside. Whether your safe
room is your bedroom or a separate room in the house, you want to
make sure that it has a stable door which locks from the inside and
which can be quickly and easily barricaded.
Consider installing a deadbolt on your bedroom door and/or the safe
room for extra security.
Stock your safe room with things you can use as a weapon in case the
intruder makes it in and you are forced to defend yourself, such as a
bat. We'll have more to say in later steps about keeping more
dangerous weapons such as knives and guns in your safe room.
You may also want to consider having food, water, and first aid
supplies in your safe room.
42
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Turn out the lights and remain as silent as possible. You don't want
to alert the intruder to your presence if at all possible, so make sure that all
lights in the room are turned off.
Avoid calling out to the intruder. You may be tempted to yell ―We've
called the police!‖ to make the intruder panic and leave as quickly as
possible. It isn't a good idea, though—it will give away your hiding place.
If, however, the intruder tries to break into the room where you're
hiding, and then it may be a good idea to yell ―We've called police—
they're on their way!‖
Use the plural ―we‖ when you call out, even if you're alone. If the
intruder thinks that there is more than one of you, he may panic and
leave.
For example, ―My name is Sam Smith, and I live at 111 River Road. I
hear two intruders in my home. I'm hiding in the upstairs back
bedroom, and I think they are still downstairs in the living room.‖
Try to keep the line with the dispatcher open so that they can listen in,
provide you with updates on the progress of the police, and help keep
you calm.
43
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
This way, if the intruder breaks into the room, you'll be able to see
them before they see you, and you can quickly assess the situation to
see if you need to fight (or shoot, if you are armed with a gun).
Remain in your safe room until the police arrive. Even if you are sure
that the intruder has left, it's best for you to stay put until the police arrive to
secure your home.
Make sure your entire house is checked by the police. Especially if the
police don't catch the suspect, you should ask them to check your house and
property thoroughly.
Consider staying with a friend or neighbor for the rest of the evening.
Even if the police have assured you that your house is safe, you may feel
more comfortable spending the night elsewhere.
It's also a good idea to try to determine how the intruder got into your
home: was a lock picked or a window broken? You may need to have
repairs completed, and/or locks changed before you'll feel safe
sleeping in your home again.
Set off your car alarm. While you probably sleep with your phone next
you, you may never have thought of bringing your car keys to bed. If you
hear an intruder (either in the house or the room with you), press the alarm
button for your vehicle. There's a good chance that the thief will take off.
Keep your distance from the intruder. If the thief makes it into your
room and you're already up, try to stay as far away as possible.
44
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Be on the lookout for ways to escape, and do your best to remain calm
and cooperative. You should avoid confrontation and violent reactions
if at all possible.
Know how to answer the phone if you have an alarm system. If you
haven't been able to call the police before an intruder makes it into your
home, and if you have a home alarm system, you may receive a phone call
from the company.
If the intruder is in the room and wants or allows you to answer (they
may know that if you don't pick up, the police will be sent), you should
have a distress code phrase prearranged with the security company.
When you say the code words, they'll know that you're in trouble. For
example, you could say ―Mom, I'll call you in the morning.‖
45
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
A Few Quick to Learn Self- Defense Techniques
Fighting an Intruder
Aim for the groin, neck, face (eyes, nose, mouth) or knees.
Where you should hit the attacker will depend on where the intruder is
positioned near you. If he's not standing right next to you, for
example, then try to kick his knees (hard and fast), rather than moving
closer to strike him in the neck.
46
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Inflict damage with your hands. Hold your dominant hand open and
flat, with your fingers straight and close together, and your thumb out. Then
forcefully jab your hand into the intruder's neck.
Use your elbows. You may also be able to throw your elbow up into
the intruder's neck, face, groin, or even stomach.
Use your leverage, and throw your body weight into it.
If you're woken before you can make it to your safe room or grab
another more suitable weapon, you may still be able to inflict serious
damage with these items.
Run as soon as you are able to. While you may be forced into a
physical confrontation with the intruder, take the first opportunity to flee.
Make as much noise as possible, in the hopes that you'll alert a neighbor or a
passerby to your situation.
Learn about the law in your state. You may conflict about whether or
not it's a good idea to keep a gun in your home. There are of course safety
47
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
concerns about keeping weapons in a house with children, but you may also
be worried about what will happen to you if you shoot an intruder.
In most cases, the law will protect you if you shoot an intruder.
It means that if the intruder is threatening you with a piece of fruit, for
example, and you know it's a piece of fruit; you could face charges for
stabbing or shooting the intruder.
Learn if your state has a “Stand Your Ground” law. While the law or
statute might be called something else, many countries have laws which do
not require you to retreat (or attempt to). Instead, you are legally permitted
to claim self-defense and respond with force.
Again, it's always a good idea to learn what laws apply in your state,
and how the specifics vary.
48
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Keep your guns in a safe, secure place. If you do feel safer with guns
in your home, it's important that they are securely locked (ideally in a gun
safe) and not just hidden.
This is all the more important if you have children: even if you think
that you've hidden your guns and ammunition where they'll never find
it, it is nearly guaranteed that they will discover your hiding places.
Consider storing them in your safe room, but be sure to keep the keys
to where children cannot find them.
While the police should identify themselves if they enter your home,
try to take a quick moment before shooting if someone breaks into
your room. It could be an intruder, in which case it's important that
you protect yourself, but you don't want to shoot an officer
accidentally.
49
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Seniors Take Action to Ensure Personal Security
Many older Americans are taking steps to help secure their personal
safety and security, especially as they balance the desire for independence
with the challenges of declining health.
The good news is that crime rates affecting older Americans are lower
than they may seem. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that the number
of violent crimes has decreased during the last decade.
50
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Know your neighbors. Keep neighbors‘ phone numbers near your
phone with emergency information. Inform neighbors of your travel
plans and any scheduled deliveries or home maintenance
appointments.
Install an alarm. Security companies offer a broad range of alarm
options, including systems that provide medical alert services.
Stay safe on the street. Always walk in well-lit areas. Ask a friend to
accompany you or tell someone where you‘re going.
Neighborhood involvement is another key to deterring crime on a
street or block. Seniors who want to protect their homes and help raise
awareness in the community can join neighborhood watch groups.
51
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
How to Insure the Valuables in Your House
52
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
damage. Items such as fine art and jewelry can be difficult to replace, which
makes a comprehensive insurance policy even more essential.
53
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Common Sense Is Your Best Anti-Theft Device
This is a useful checklist that you should use before leaving your home
empty or for beefing up your protection against theft:
Study your house from the street, and look for any valuables that may
be visible from the street. Don‘t give thieves a reason to show up.
Before leaving for any length of time, ensure that all windows and
doors are locked, including the door to your garage. Many home
invasion robberies come through garage doors and inner doors to the
houses. Doors should have deadbolt locks with a one-inch throw and
reinforced strike plate.
54
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
Place a piece of wood or metal on the track of any sliding doors to
prevent opening.
Don‘t leave your house in darkness when you‘re away, create a sense
of activity by using timers on lights, radios and televisions.
Install low-voltage lighting outdoors to keep your surrounding yard
well lit. Install motion detectors in dark areas along the sides and back
of the house to alert you of any intruders.
Suspend your newspaper delivery while you‘re away and ask your
neighbor to collect your mail. You may even ask them to park in your
driveway while you‘re away.
Never leave a message on your answering machine that says you‘re on
vacation.
Keep any shrubbery near your walkway or entrance trimmed; removing
any possible hiding places. Think about planting cactus or rosebushes
under windows that may be especially vulnerable.
Advise your neighborhood watch that you‘ll be away.
Ensure your security system is activated when you leave.
Etch your name on all electronic equipment to serve as a deterrent as
well as assisting police in the recovery your property. It‘s harder to sell
stolen goods that have the owners name on it. Make a video tape of
your possessions and record the serial numbers.
Get a safe, not just for your jewels, but for necessary paperwork as
well. Identity theft is a crime that‘s on the rise, and you want to
minimize any availability to your personal records.
The more you can do to deter an intruder, the better your chances are
that your home will not be chosen as a target. Studies have shown that if it
takes a burglar more than four or five minutes to break into a home, they‘ll
move on. If you increase their vulnerability by adding a well-lit area or a
barking dog, that minimizes your risk again.
55
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
The signs your home is being chased may be subtle and require you to
be as observant as possible. Here are four signs your home may be targeted
by a potential burglar.
Burglars can have a job that gives them access to people‘s homes.
They may be a handyman, landscaper or door-to-door salesman. Whatever
their occupation, it gives them access to a variety of homes and helps them
determine the best possible targets.
56
How to Make Your Home Crime Proof
While there is no way to completely prevent all break-ins, being
observant can help you know when your house is being targeted and help
you take steps to avoid the worst.
57