Hello All!
As the weather gets warmer, I wanted to remind you all of some spring/summer home safety/security tips:
1. The large majority of break-ins are done by amateurs rather than black-clad cat burglars. Simply locking your doors and keeping your home well-lit at night is enough of a deterrent to keep bad guys out.
2. Never leave cars unlocked in your driveway or outside your home, especially if your garage door opener in kept in your car. If someone gets their hands on it, they now have 24 hour access to your home.
3. Keep your eyes open. A common spring/summer scheme is for bad guys to come to your door and distract you with offers of yard/roof work, while their accomplice sneaks into your garage, backyard or back door. Be aware of this and don’t let them take up too much of your time. This actually happened to us when we were living in the Washington, DC area, but I was able to recognize what was happening and put an end to their plan.
4. When you're away this summer:
-Make you home look occupied by having lamps on a timer. Strategically placing lights throughout the house on timers gives the appearance that people are using different rooms.
-Don’t close all your curtains and blinds. If you are using lights or a television on a timer to cast light, it’s good to leave a few open. Open curtains also allow law enforcement or a neighbor to see inside your home should the need arise.
-Employ the interior locks on your garage doors.
-Ask a neighbor to park a car in your driveway a couple of times while you’re away.
The biggest thing that we can all do this spring/summer is to look out for each other. We are blessed and fortunate to have good neighbors around us. We look out for each other's kids and will let each other know if a garage door is left open, etc. Be that good neighbor to the people around you.
Also, if you see something out of the ordinary, don't hesitate to report it to the police immediately! If you see something, SAY something! I can't stress this point enough.
This is by no means every step that you could take to secure your home, but it's a good start. Feel free to ask any questions or for more follow-up information.
Thanks for reading!
Jeff