Home Security

A burglar's three worst enemies -- light, time and noise

A burglar won't find your home an "easy mark" if he or she is forced to work in the light, if he or she has to take a lot of time breaking in, and if he or she can't break in without making a lot of noise.

CASE YOUR PLACE

Take the time to "case" your house or apartment, just as a burglar would.

Where is the easiest entry? How can you make it more burglar resistant?

Trim trees and shrubs near your doors and windows, and think carefully before installing a high, wooden fence around your back yard. High fences and shrubbery can add to your privacy, but privacy is a burglar's asset. Consider trading a little extra privacy for a bit of added security.

Force any would-be burglar to confront a real enemy -- light. Exterior lights, mounted out of easy reach, can reduce the darkness a burglar finds comforting.

Research shows that if it takes more than four or five minutes to break in to your home, the burglar will go elsewhere.

Simple security devices -- nails, screws, padlocks, door and window locks, grates, bars and bolts -- can increase the amount of time it takes to break into your home. This could discourage intruders and keep them from entering.

Try to make the general prospect of robbing your home a noisy job. Consider investing in a burglar alarm. The most effective ones also ring at an outside service.

Are any of your valuables - paintings, a silver collection or a computer-easy to see from outside? Rearranging your furnishings might be advisable if it makes your home less inviting to criminals.

SIMPLE SECURITY STEPS

1 Doors

Make sure you have strong doors. Outside doors should be metal or solid hardwood, and at least 1 3/4 inches thick. Frames must be made of equally strong material, and each door must fit its frame securely. Even the most efficient lock, if it is placed in a weak door, will not keep out a determined burglar.

A peephole or a wide-angle viewer in the door is safer for identifying visitors than a door chain.

Sliding glass doors present a special problem because they are easy to open, but there are locks designed for them. A broomstick in the door channel can help, but don't depend on it for security.

2 Locks

Deadbolt locks are best. They usually are locked with a key from the outside and a thumb turn on the inside. The cylinder (where the key is inserted) should be pick-resistant. Ask your hardware dealer for a reputable brand, or buy your locks from a locksmith.

3 Windows

Key locks are available for all types of windows. Double-hung windows can be secured simply by "pinning" the upper and lower frames together with a nail, which can be removed from the inside.

For windows at street level or on fire escapes, consider installing metal accordion gates.

DISCOUNTS

Most insurance companies provide 2 to 15 percent discounts for devices that make a home safer -- dead-bolt locks, window grates, bars and smoke/fire/burglar alarms.

When improving the security of your home, it is also important not to exchange security for personal safety. Don't make your home such a fortress that you are unable to escape in case of a fire or other emergency.

HOME SECURITY HABITS

1. Establish a routine to follow in making certain that doors and windows are locked and alarm systems are turned on.
2. Avoid giving information to unidentified telephone callers, or announcing your personal plans in want ads or public notices (such as giving your address when advertising items for sale).
3. Notify police if you see suspicious strangers in your area.
4. Handle your keys carefully. Don't carry house keys on a key ring bearing your home address or leave house keys with your car in a commercial parking lot.
5. Don't hide your keys in "secret" places outside your home - burglars usually know where to look.

VACATION TIPS

1. Leave blinds open in their usual position.
2. Have mail and packages picked up, forwarded or held by the post office.
3. Lower the sound of your telephone ringer and answering machine so they can't be heard outside.
4. Arrange to have your lawn mowed or your walk shoveled.
5. Stop newspaper deliveries.
6. Ask a friend to pick up "throwaway" newspapers and circulars.
7. Use automatic timers to turn lights on and off in your living room and bedrooms at appropriate times. Consider connecting a radio to a timer.
8. Tell police and dependable neighbors when you plan to be away and join with your neighbors to keep a close watch on what's happening in your area - working closely with them is a good way to prevent crime.