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Beachwood Police Department
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 the 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 broomstick or dowel in the inside track to jam the door. To prevent the door from 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 hole into a 45 degree angle between the inner and outer frames; then insert a nut that can be removed. Secure basement windows with a grill or grates.
- Instead of hiding keys around the outside of your home, give an extra key to a neighbor that you can trust.
- When you move into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks.
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. Cur back tree limbs that a thief could use to climb to an upper 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 twenty-four hours a day signal an empty house.
- Leave shades, blinds, and curtains in normal positions. 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 security best fits your needs. Do business with an established company and get references before signing a contract.
- Learn how to use your system properly! Don't "cry wolf" by setting off fire alarms. People will stop paying attention and you will probably be fined.
- Some less expensive options: A sound-detecting socket that plugs into a fixture and makes the light flash when it detects certain noises; motion sensor outside lights that turn on when someone approaches; or lights with phone cells that turn on when it's dark and off when it's light.
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