Safe and Secure

Shorter daylight hours during the winter season, mean increased security risks as many of us leave for work before daylight and return home after dark. Add to that the gift giving holiday season that means prime picking for burglars and security needs become especially important. Adequate outdoor lighting is one of the simplest security measures to supplement stout locks and motion detector lights can be especially effective. Timer lights inside the home can also help create the impression of someone home.

Motion detector lights also have another benefit for people returning home after dark. If you return home and see that the motion light is on, you’ll know that something, or someone, was recently on your property, and may still be there. This makes it harder for a potential attacker to lurk on your property and surprise you.

Source: CamdeNews.org - Other Local News

As reported here in September, unauthorized key duplication and lost spare keys present a serious threat to the typical homeowner and perhaps more threat to renters and businesses. Though their system would not eliminate the problems of lost keys or spares given away, Medeco Security Locks has a solution to the problem of unauthorized copies. Their keys require locksmith authorization to be able to make copies and all copies are registered and recorded.

The use of keys duplicated without permission has become more prevalent in residential and commercial crimes in recent years. Standard keys can be copied without any proof of identification or verification at discount or home building stores and allow perpetrators fast, easy access without any delay or disturbance of a forced entry. Residential or commercial keys are often compromised, either directly or indirectly, when entrusted to neighbors, parking valets, cleaning crews, baby sitters, contractors, ex-employees, auto mechanics, or related service providers.

Unauthorized Key Copying Poses Growing Risks to Homeowners, Businesses

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A series of home invasion robberies on Long Island is happening while residents are home, often asleep. Armed robbers enter the home and demand cash, jewelry and other valuables. Police report that most of the cases involve entry through an open window or even an open door. Linda Bible, the victim of one robbery, now has her alarm on at all times, but especially when she and her 14-year old daughter are home.

Newsday.com: Home-invasion robberies on the rise on LI

Most home break-ins occur because residents don’t take security seriously so they don’t lock their doors or windows, said John Mueller, the La Valle, Wis.-based author of a book called Savvy Guide to Home Security

“The number one entry point is the front door because the burglar simply walks up to the door and see if it’s unlocked, and in a lot of cases it is,” Mueller said. “It’s like inviting a crook into your home.”

Outdoor lighting can enhance your home security by eliminating the dark corners where burglars can hide while trying to gain entrance or case the house. Good exterior lighting also makes it easier for you to check oustide after nighttime noises and can make it safer when coming home. Timer lights are also great for times when you are away from home.

Outdoor lighting enhances home security on Southern Standard

These lights can be programmed to turn on for any length of time. For example, if you normally arrive home at 7 p.m., you can program the lights to turn on at 6:45 p.m.

“It also helps out if you’re not home,” said Hale. “If the lights suddenly come on, people will think somebody is in there.”…

Depending on the setup, lights can be installed for as little as $150 to $200. More elaborate displays where posts have to be erected cost more.

According to the National Crime Prevention Council, 57% of all home burglaries are unforced, involving either an unlocked door or a lock, such as those on a sliding glass door, that can be “picked” in seconds with a credit card, screwdrive, piece of plastic or cardboard. Most windows manufactured in the last 15 years are stout enough to deter the typical burglar and even the barking of a small dog draws more attention than the usual burglar wants. Lights near doors will also draw attention burglars don’t want.

Steps to home security

Mr. Spurlock says a family pet can provide low-tech burglary prevention, but pets have about a 50-50 chance of being an effective deterrent.
“Burglars are nonconfrontational. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible. Even a small dog that barks will get people’s attention,” Mr. Spurlock says.

Jacksonville, Florida police have at least one good lead in a burglary case from September - a picture of the burglar. The burglar knocked on the door at 2 PM on Sept. 16 and after making sure no one was home, pried open the door, entered the house and stole a DVD player. What he didn’t know was that the homeowner had installed an alarm system complete with a video camera.

Homeowners’s Security Camera Snaps Photo Of Burglar

Burglary detectives have released the photo of the burglar and his car, hoping someone will call Crimestoppers at (866) 845-8477 with information that will help police catch the man.

Many of the things that can improve home safety and security are low or even no cost, like remembering to lock the deadbolt you already spent money to install. Are you storing a ladder beside your house? A burglar could use your own ladder to get in a window.

TownOnline.com - Holbrook Sun - Opinion & Letters

Play the security game. Gather members of your family together outside the house. Lock up the house as if no one were home. Have everyone try to get into the house without breaking windows. Make a list of vulnerable spots and repair or secure it. Make it a practice to lock up all ladders and tools, such as crowbars or screwdrivers.

A good sturdy high-security lock can be a much less expensive alternative to a $3,000 plus security system. The monitoring cost for a year with a monitored system can pay for high security locks for two exterior doors. Good locks that make your home a harder target may be 90% of preventing a burglary for 10% of the cost; the security system adds the other 10% at 90% of the cost. Of course, if you are in an area that warrants it, a security system is an excellent idea, but you don’t have to wait until you can afford a security system to upgrade your locks and get that first 90%.

APP.COM v4.0 - Consumer Reports: Lock up your concerns over home security | Asbury Park Press Online

If you’re concerned about thieves who drill and pick — as well as kick — we recommend two Medeco high-security models, both excellent performers as sold. The Maxum Residential RL-011101 ($160) is a single-cylinder lock. The double-cylinder Maxum Residential RL-016100 ($200) is a better choice for doors with glass. Although not quite as resistant to battering as the Medecos, the Assa V6000 ($160) is a very good single-cylinder high-security lock that offers excellent protection against picking and drilling.

Locks that, out of the box, offer excellent kick-in protection (though poor defense against picking and drilling) include the Weslock 671 ($25) and the Emtek Low Profile 8455 ($25). Both are single-cylinder deadbolts that also provide excellent resistance to sawing. Available primarily through locksmiths, they are CR Best Buys. If your door or jamb has glass near the lock, chose the double-cylinder Kwikset UltraMax Security 985S ($50).

A string of burglaries and auto thefts in Brookfield, Illinois almost all involved unlocked doors and all the auto thefts were of cars with the keys left inside. The police issued a release reminding residents to follow basic common sense security rules.

Berwyn man faces Brookfield burglary, car theft charges

Police noted that in nearly every garage burglary reported during the past month, entry was gained through either open or unlocked doors. Likewise, all four vehicles stolen had keys left inside of them.

In a press release from the department, Brookfield police reminded “residents to secure their property when it is not in use. Every garage should be closed and locked. Vehicles should be locked and all valuables (especially keys) should be out of sight in the trunk or brought into your home.

“Residents suffered a large monetary loss from the tools and vehicles taken, which might [have been] avoided by following basic home security rules.”

The knee jerk reaction of many child safety advocates to gun accidents involving children is to advocate removing guns from the home. This article in the Missoulian points out that while that may be a great idea in a city where 911 brings the police in minutes, in rural areas it just isn’t feasible. Given the recent events in New Orleans where the police were at best irrelevant and at worst looting themselves, it probably isn’t even good advice in the city. Solution: Teach your kids gun safety and responsible gun use. Then not only will they be responsible and safe today, but when the time comes for them to be responsible for the safety and security of their own family they’ll be prepared. And isn’t preparing kids for the time when they are on their own what good parenting is all about?
Missoulian: Guns should be the least of kids’ worries - Monday, Sept. 12, 2005

One of the legitimate and most compelling reasons to keep a gun is for personal and family protection. An unloaded gun is worse than useless in any situation that calls for firepower. Would-be rapists and murderers won’t always wait for you to retrieve your weapon from the locked safe or rummage through your purse for the key to the trigger lock. Protection is no trivial reason for keeping a loaded gun handy, nor one to approach casually. You must balance the manageable but undeniable risk of gun ownership with any sense of security and actual protection you might provide with it. Used responsibly and skillfully, a gun can be a decided asset; otherwise, it’s a liability.

For many people, especially those with ungoverned or ungovernable children, the balance at least tilts toward secure lockup. But many, many Montana families reside with a high degree of safety, even with loaded, unlocked guns in the house, mainly because the parents properly school their children. Their kids don’t play with the guns for the same reason they don’t play with gasoline and matches.