CRIME PREVENTION TIPS

Your home is your castle... or is it? Are you really safe once your get home and lock your door? In an open society your home should be the sanctuary for you and your family. Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can get close to you or your family. Protecting your home and family from criminal intrusion should be high on your list of priorities.

By far, the most common threat to our home is burglary. According to the FBI, a burglary occurs somewhere in the United States every 15.4 seconds. By definition, the crime of burglary is a non-confrontational crime. However, becoming a burglary victim can leave a family feeling vulnerable and violated. To avoid becoming a burglary victim, it is important to first gain an understanding of who commits them and why.

The majority of home and apartment burglaries occur during the daytime when most people are away at work or school. The summer months of July and August have the most burglaries with February having the fewest crimes. Burglaries are committed most often by young males younger than 25 years of age looking for items that are small, expensive, and can easily be converted to cash. Favorite items are cash, jewelry, guns, watches, laptop computers, VCRs, video players, CDs and other small electronic devices. Quick cash is needed for living expenses and drugs. Statistics tell us that 70% of the burglars use some amount force to enter a dwelling but their preference is to gain easy access through an open door or window. Burglars most often use ordinary household tools like screwdrivers, channel-lock pliers, small pry bars, and small hammers. Burglars continue to flourish because police can only clear about 13% of all reported burglaries and rarely catch the thief in the act.

Although home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, they actually involve a selection process. The burglar's selection process is simple. Choose an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape routes. What follows is a list of suggestions to minimize your risk by making your home unattractive to potential burglars.

DOORS AND LOCKS

The first step is to "harden the target" or make your home more difficult to enter. Remember that the burglar will simply bypass your home if it requires too much effort or requires more skill and tools than they possess. Most burglars enter via the front, back, or garage doors. Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest point of entry followed by the back door. The garage and back doors also provide the most cover. Burglars know to look inside your car for keys and other valuables so keep it locked, even when parked inside your garage. Use high quality Grade-1 or Grade-2 locks on exterior doors to resist twisting, prying, and lock-picking attempts. A quality deadbolt lock will have a beveled casing to inhibit the use of channel-lock pliers used to shear off lock cylinder pins. A quality door knob-in-lock set will have a 'dead latch' mechanism to prevent slipping the lock with a shim or credit card.

• Use a solid core or metal door for all entrance points
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, dead bolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt
• Use a quality, heavy-duty, knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism
• Use a heavy-duty, four-screw, strike plate with 3-inch screws to penetrate into a wooden door frame
• Use a wide-angle 160-degree peephole mounted no higher than 58 inches

The most common way used to force entry through a door with a wooden jamb is to kick it open. The weakest point is almost always the strike-plate that holds the latch or lock bolt in place. The average door strike-plate is secured with only doorframe molding. These lightweight moldings are often tacked onto the doorframe and can be torn away with a firm kick. Because of this construction flaw, it makes sense to upgrade to a four-screw, heavy-duty, high security strike-plate. They are available in most quality hardware stores and home improvement centers and are definitely worth the extra expense. Install this heavy-duty strike-plate using 3-inch wood screws to cut deep into the doorframe stud. Use these longer screws in the knob-lock strike-plate as well, and use at least one long screw in each door hinge. This one step alone deters or prevents most through-the-door forced entries. You and your family will sleep safer in the future.

SLIDING GLASS DOORS

Sliding glass doors are vulnerable to being forced open from the outside because of inherently defective latch mechanisms. This can be easily be prevented by inserting a wooden dowel or stick into the track thus preventing or limiting movement. Other blocking devices available are metal fold-down blocking devices called "charley bars" and various track-blockers that can be screwed down.

The blocking devices described above solve half the equation. Older sliding glass doors can be lifted off their track and defeat the latch mechanism. To prevent lifting, you need to keep the door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted. You can also install anti-lift devices such as a pin that extends through both the sliding and fixed portion of the door. There are also numerous locking and blocking devices available in any good quality hardware store that prevent a sliding door from being lifted or forced horizontally. Place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that indicates that an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation identification is in place. Burglars dislike alarm systems and definitely big barking dogs.

WINDOWS

Windows are left unlocked and open at a much higher rate than doors. An open window, visible from the street or alley, may be the sole reason for your home to be selected by a burglar. Ground floor windows are more susceptible to break-ins for obvious reasons. Upper floor windows become attractive if they can be accessed from a stairway, tree, fence, or by climbing on balconies. Windows have latches, not locks, and therefore should have secondary blocking devices to prevent them from being slid open from the outside. Inexpensive wooden dowels and sticks work well for horizontal sliding windows and through-the-frame pins work well for vertical sliding windows. For ventilation, block the window open no more than six inches and make sure you can't reach in from the outside and remove the blocking device or reach through and unlock the door. In sleeping rooms, these window-blocking devices should be capable of being removed easily from the inside to comply with fire codes. Like sliding glass doors, anti-lift devices are necessary for ground level and accessible aluminum windows that slide horizontally. The least expensive and easiest method is to install screws halfway into the upper track of the movable glass panel to prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position. As a deterrent, place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that indicates that an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation identification system is in place.

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR

Good neighbors should look out for each other. Get to know your neighbors on each side of your home and the three directly across the street. Invite them into your home, communicate often, and establish trust. Good neighbors watch out for your home or apartment when you are away, if you ask them. They can report suspicious activity to the police or to you while you are away. Between them, good neighbors can see to it that normal services continue in your absence by allowing vendors to mow your lawn or remove snow. Good neighbors can pick up your mail, newspapers, handbills, and can inspect the outside or inside of your home periodically to see that all is well. Good neighbors occasionally park in your driveway to give the appearance of occupancy while you are on vacation. Allowing a neighbor to have a key solves the problem of hiding a key outside the door.

Experienced burglars know to look for hidden keys in planter boxes, under doormats, and above the ledge. Requiring a service vendor to see your neighbor to retrieve and return your house key sends the message that someone is watching. This neighborhood watch technique sets up what is called 'territoriality', which means that your neighbors take ownership and responsibility for what occurs in your mini-neighborhood. This concept works in both single-family home communities and on apartment properties. This practice helps deter burglaries and other crimes in a big way. Of course for this to work, you must reciprocate and offer the same services.

LIGHTING

Interior lighting is necessary to show signs of life and activity inside a residence. A darkened home night after night sends the message to burglars that you are away on a trip. Light timers are inexpensive and can be found everywhere. They should be used on a daily basis, not just when you're away. In this way you set up a routine that your neighbors can observe, and it allows them to become suspicious when your normally lighted home becomes dark. Typically, you want to use light-timers near the front and back windows with the curtains drawn. The pattern of them clicking on and off simulates actual occupancy. It is also comforting not to have to enter a dark residence. The same light timers can be used to turn on radios or television sets to further enhance the illusion of occupancy.

Exterior lighting is also very important. It becomes critical if you must park in a common area parking lot or underground garage and need to walk to your front door. The purpose of good lighting is to allow you to see if a threat or suspicious person is lurking in your path. If you can see a potential threat in advance then you at least have the choice and chance to avoid it. Exterior lighting needs to bright enough for you to see 100 feet and it helps if you can identify colors. Good lighting is definitely a deterrent to criminals because they don't want to be seen or identified. Another important area to be well lighted is the perimeter of your home or apartment, especially at the entryway. Exterior lighting on the front of a property should always be on a timer to establish a routine and appearance of occupancy at all times. Common area lighting on apartment properties should also be on a timer or photocell to turn on at dusk and turn off at dawn. Garage or porch lights left on all day on a single family home is a dead giveaway that you are out of town. Exterior lighting at the rear of a home or apartment is usually on a switch because of the proximity to the sleeping rooms. The resident can choose to leave these lights on or off. Security lights with infrared motion sensors are relatively inexpensive and can easily replace an exterior porch light or side door light on single-family homes. The heat-motion sensor can be adjusted to detect body heat and can be programmed to reset after one minute. These security lights are highly recommended for single-family homes.

ALARM SYSTEMS

Alarm systems definitely have a place in a home security plan, and are effective when properly used. The reason why alarms systems deter burglaries is because they increase the potential and fear of being caught and arrested by the police. The deterrent value comes from the alarm company lawn sign and from the alarm decals on the windows. Home and apartment burglars usually bypass a property with visible alarm signs and go to another property without such a sign. Some people with alarm systems feel that these signs and decals are unsightly and do not display them. The risk in such cases is that an uninformed burglar might break a window or door and grab a few quick items before the police can respond. Also, don't write your alarm passcode on or near the alarm keypad.

Alarm systems need to be properly installed and maintained. Alarms systems can monitor for fire as well as burglary for the same price. All systems should have an audible horn or bell to be effective in case someone does break in. However, these audible alarms should be programmed to reset automatically after one or two minutes. The criminal will have gotten the message and will be long gone, but your neighbors will have to listen to the alarm bell, sometimes for hours, until it is shut off. If you use a central station to monitor your alarm, make sure your response call list is up to date. Home alarms, like car alarms, are generally ignored except for a brief glance. However, if you have established and nurtured your neighborhood watch buddy system, you experience a genuine concern by your neighbor. It is not unusual to have a neighbor wait for the police, allow them inside for an inspection, and secure the residence. A good neighbor can also call the glass company or locksmith to repair any damage, if pre-authorized by you.

The biggest difficulty getting to this level of concern is taking the first step. You can take it by calling your local crime prevention unit at the police department. Most police departments in large cities have neighborhood watch coordinators to help you set this up. You should invite your adjacent neighbors over to your home for coffee and begin the information exchange. You would be amazed how the process runs on automatic from there.

HOME SAFES

Since the prices of good home safes are falling, having a safe in your home is a wise investment. Home safes are designed to keep the smash-and-grab burglar, nosey kids, dishonest babysitter or housekeeper from gaining access to important documents and personal property. Home safes need to be anchored into the floor or permanent shelving.

OPERATION IDENTIFICATION

This is a program supported by most police agencies. They recommend that you engrave your driver's license on televisions, stereos, computers, and small electronic appliances. They suggest this so they can identify and locate you if your stolen items are recovered. I suggest that you go way beyond this step.

I recommend that you photograph your valuables and make a list of the make, model, and serial numbers. You should keep this list in a safety deposit box or with a relative for safekeeping. Keep receipts of the larger items in case you need to prove the value of the items for insurance purposes. Beyond that, I recommend that you photocopy important documents and the contents of your wallet. You will be thankful that you took these steps in case your home is ever destroyed by fire or flood, is ransacked, or if your wallet is lost or stolen.

FAMILY SECURITY TIPS

Our family is at the center of our personal universe. Most people would do almost anything for the sake of their family. That includes protecting them from known dangers and harm. This becomes increasing difficult, at times, because we live in an open society where we share the same public places as the violent criminals. The only place where we have control over our environment is in our home. We can make our home reasonably safe by fortifying it, as necessary, to protect our families once inside.

Whenever your family walks out the front door they leave that zone of protection that you have created. The secret to keeping your family reasonable safe once they leave home is to have a family security plan. To develop a family security plan you must give careful thought to the public routines of each family member and think of ways to make them safer from the violent people in the world. The best way to accomplish this is to hold a family meeting to discuss this plan and play "what if" using different scenarios. For example, what if we need to use the ATM machine, what steps should we take to make the process safer. 'What if' we need to go to the shopping mall, what precautions can we take while in the parking lot? While walking to our car on the street at night what if someone approaches to rob us, what would we do and how would we react? Most people have no such family plan and have not met as a family to discuss what if situations. When or if a criminal assault does occur, the family will not prepared and will have to rely on instinct in response to the incident. But what if their instincts are wrong or their reactions inappropriate under the circumstances? We read about these all the time in the newspaper or hear about them on television, for example, where a man tried to overpower a gunman, only to be shot and killed. We have also become aware of incidents where a child was walking home from school and was tricked into a car of a total stranger and kidnapped.

In the following report, I have attempted to set forth some of the most common types of criminal confrontations, in the most common settings, that a family may face in their lifetime. I suggest that you hold a family meeting to discuss these scenarios and decide what steps your family should take in response to these threats. I have offered suggestions on various options that a family may choose in response to a criminal assault. The suggestions that I offer are not the only possible response, nor do I guarantee that they will be effective in all situations. Your response to any criminal assault is highly personal and depends on the physical and mental capabilities of each family member.

SHOPPING CENTERS

Shopping centers come in all sizes from the giant regional malls to the small strip-center with only a few stores. What they have in common is a parking lot. This is where your family is at greatest risk because of the "nature" of a parking lot. If you think about it, we are all strangers in a large parking lot. Violent criminals can blend in with the rest of us and get in close proximity fairly easily. Criminal predators can walk right by us and we will allow it because of the public setting. Next time you go to a large shopping center sit in the parking lot for a few minutes and observe how easy it would be for a criminal predator to approach and attack you or your family. Shoppers walk to and from their cars totally consumed by their thoughts and thinking about what they are going to do next. Watch shoppers as they approach their cars fumbling for their keys. They will turn their backs and attention completely away from those nearby to load their shopping bags into the car, and get children and infants installed inside the vehicle. Most shopping center violent crimes occur precisely at this point. The most common violent crimes are purse-snatch and strong-arm robbery. Less common but potentially more serious are the crimes of carjacking and abduction.

To protect your family in this setting the best defense is awareness. Awareness will allow you anticipate the potential danger and plan ahead for the next time you go to a shopping center. Planning includes selecting a safer time to shop (daylight) and arranging not to shop alone if possible. You can plan where to park (i.e. not next to a large van) and in high traffic areas. You can plan to scan the area for suspicious males before parking and exiting your vehicle. You can also plan not to park or exit your vehicle if suspicious males are in the area. Families should agree in advance to exit and enter their vehicle quickly and lock the doors. Families should be trained to look around their vehicle before approaching and retreat if anyone suspicious is loitering in the area. They should be trained to return to the shopping center and alert security or call the police.

Whether traveling on business or pleasure with your family it may become necessary to stay overnight in a hotel or motel. Your hotel room becomes your 'home' for the night and is your sanctuary while you sleep. It is important to give some thought to what hotel or motel you select and what room you are willing to accept. The cost of the hotel room is not always a good predictor of how safe the room or property will be. There are a few rules that should apply to any hotel room you rent.

Always request a room on an upper floor, if possible. Ground floor rooms are more vulnerable to crime problems because of access and ease of escape. In a high-rise building, rooms above the fifth floor are usually safer than those below, again because of accessibility and ease of escape.

Criminals do not want to be trapped on an upper floor inside a high-rise hotel. High-rise buildings usually have fewer access points and is easier for the hotel staff to monitor who passes through the lobby after hours.

Hotel or motel rooms should be equipped with a solid-wood or a metal door for best protection. Room doors should have a deadbolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt. If the lock looks worn or there are pry marks around the lock area, get another room or move to another hotel. The knob lock should be hotel-style where you can push a button on the inside knob and block out all keys. This feature is designed to prevent a former guest or housekeeper from entering the room once your are inside. Hotels with electronic card-access have the advantage of being able to disable former key-cards issued to other guests. The room door should have a wide-angle peephole so you can view who is at the door before opening. Do not rely on door chains or swing bars to secure the doors when you peek out to speak someone. Teach your children not to open the door to any hotel room without knowing the person on the other side.

Make sure all windows and sliding doors are secured if they are accessible from the ground. It is a good idea to pull on all windows and glass doors to test if they are secure. Beware of balconies where someone can climb from one to another and enter through an open window or sliding door. If the windows or sliding doors are not securable, ask for another room or find another hotel. If you are a woman traveling alone or with small children, take advantage of car valet service, if available to avoid the parking lot. After checking in ask the bellman or desk clerk to escort you to your room. After unlocking the room, quickly inspect the closets, under the bed, and bathroom including behind the shower curtain before the bellman leaves. When you find a suitable hotel that meets your standards and will cater to your needs try to stick with it or with the same hotel chain.

ATM MACHINES

ATM cash machines have been incorporated in our way of life. They offer a real convenience to those on the run but at the same time offer an element of risk. Using an ATM machine safely requires awareness and a little planning. Just because an ATM machine is open and available 24-hours a day doesn't mean it is safe to use it. Most ATM robberies occur at night between 8:00 PM and midnight. ATM robbers are usually males under 25 years of age and most work alone. ATM robbers usually position themselves nearby waiting for a victim to approach and withdraw cash. Most ATM robbery victims are women and were alone when robbed. Most claim that they never saw the robber coming. Most ATM robbers used a gun or claimed to have a concealed weapon when confronting the victim and demanding their cash.

If you or your family members use ATM cash machines on a regular basis, here are some tips that can make the process a little safer. Use only ATM machines in well-lighted, high-traffic areas. Don't use ATM machines that are remote or hidden such as being located behind buildings, behind pillars or away from public view. Beware of obvious hiding places like shrubbery or overgrown trees. ATM robbers like to have the element of surprise with no witnesses. Get a list of ATM locations from your bank and keep it in your car. Choose an ATM that looks and 'feels' safer, even if it is a couple of miles out of the way. Try and limit your use to daylight hours. When you drive up to an ATM location, scan the area for any suspicious persons. If you see anyone suspicious standing nearby or sitting in a car, drive away. Listen to your 'gut' instinct. When you approach an ATM on foot be prepared and have your access card ready. After inserting your card and your PIN number keep an eye out behind you. If anyone suspicious or seemingly dangerous approaches terminate your transaction and leave immediately even if it means leaving your ATM card in the machine. When you receive cash from the machine put it away immediately, extract your card, and walk away.

If you use your car at a drive-thru ATM machine the same rules apply. Make sure there are no obvious hiding places or suspicious persons loitering in the area. If there are, listen to your gut instinct and drive away. Keep the car in gear, with your foot firmly on the brake, while using the ATM machine. Keep a close eye on your rear and side view mirrors during the transaction. Robbers almost always approach from the rear on the driver's side. If you see anyone approaching, drive oft even if it means leaving your ATM card behind. If an armed robber confronts you, just give up your money without argument. The cash is not worth serious injury or death.