Minnesota Private Investigators Home Security

10 Quick Security Tips to Prevent Burglary

1 Keep all doors and windows closed and securely fastened. An open window or door is an open invitation for burglars. Thieves are also quick to spot weak locks that may be easily forced open. Doors should have deadbolt locks with a one inch throw and reinforced strike plate with three inch screws. All windows should have window locks.

2 Secure sliding glass doors. Place a metal rod or piece of plywood in the track and install vertical bolts. These will help prevent burglars from forcing the door open or lifting it off the track.

3 Always lock the door to an attached garage. Don't rely on your automatic garage door opener for security.

4 Create the illusion that you are home. by using timers on lights, radios and TV's. Making your residence appear occupied, even when no one is home, will deter criminals.

5 Keep the perimeter of your home well lighted. Installing low voltage outdoor lighting is a cost-effective way to discourage intruders, as well as highlight a house.

6 Never leave clues that you are away on a trip. Have a trusted neighbor collect mail and newspapers while you are away so delivered items do not accumulate. You can also ask a neighbor to park in your driveway or parking place to make it appear that you are present.

7 Keep some shades and blinds up and curtains open to maintain a normal, everyday appearance in your residence.

8 Never leave a message on your telephone answering machine telling people that you are away from home. A message that you will return at a certain time leaves your home vulnerable in the interim.

9 Keep shrubbery trimmed away from entrances and walkways. While large, ornate hedges may be beautiful, they also provide a hiding place for burglars who need only a minute to break in through a window or door.

10 Organize a community watch program to protect your neighborhood. An alert community is a safe community.

BURGLARY PREVENTION CHECKLIST FOR HOMES

This checklist was designed to help you make a security survey of your own home.

The first purpose of a home security inspection is to identify features in your home or daily routines of your family which might make your home an easy target for a burglar.

The security inspection should begin at your front door, include an inspection of all your doors and windows, locks, lights and landscaping. Each question on the checklist which you answer with an "x" or a check mark in the second column indicates a security weakness or hazard which requires your attention.

If you would like professional advice and assistance in a thorough home security inspection, call your local law enforcement agency.

DOORS

1	Are all outside doors in the house of metal or solid wood construction?	Yes____ No____
2	Are door frames strong enough and tight enough to prevent forcing or spreading?	Yes____ No____
3	Are door hinges protected from removal from the outside?	Yes____ No____
4	Are there windows in any door or within 40 inches of the locks?	Yes____ No____
5	Are all door locks adequate and in good repair?	Yes____ No____
6	Are strikes and strike plates adequate and properly installed?	Yes____ No____
7	Can the locking mechanism be reached through a mail slot, delivery port or pet entrance at the door?	Yes____ No____
8	Is there a screen or storm door with an adequate lock?	Yes____ No____
9	Are all entrances lighted with at least a 40 watt light?	Yes____ No____
10	Can front entrances be observed from the street or public area?	Yes____ No____
11	Does the porch or landscaping offer concealment from view from the street or public area?	Yes____ No____
12	If there is a sliding glass door, is the sliding panel secured from being lifted out of its track?	Yes____ No____
13	Is the "charley-bar" or a key operated auxiliary lock used on sliding glass doors?	Yes____ No____

ENTRANCES FROM GARAGE AND BASEMENT

14	Are all entrances to the living quarters from a garage or basement of metal or solid wood construction?	Yes____ No____
15	Does the door from the garage to the living quarters have locks adequate for exterior entrances?	Yes____ No____
16	Does the door from the basement to the living quarters have an adequate lock operated from the living quarters side?	Yes____ No____

WINDOWS

17	Do all windows have adequate locks in operating condition?	Yes____ No____
18	Do windows have screens or storm windows that lock from the inside?	Yes____ No____
19	Do any windows open into areas that may be hazardous or offer special risk to burglary?	Yes____ No____
20	Do windows that open into hazardous areas have security screens or grills?	Yes____ No____
21	Are exterior areas of windows free from concealing structure or landscaping?	Yes____ No____
22	Is the exterior adequately lighted at all window areas?	Yes____ No____
23	Are trees and shrubbery kept trimmed back from upper floor windows?	Yes____ No____
24	Are ladders kept outside the house where they are accessible?	Yes____ No____

BASEMENT DOORS AND WINDOWS

25	Is there a door from the outside to the basement?	Yes____ No____
26	If so, is that door adequately secure for an exterior door?	Yes____ No____
27	Is the outside basement entrance lighted by an exterior light of at least 40 watts?	Yes____ No____
28	Is the outside basement door concealed from the street or neighbors?	Yes____ No____
29	Are all basement windows adequately secured against entrance?	Yes____ No____

GARAGE DOORS AND WINDOWS

30	Is the automobile entrance door to the garage equipped with an adequate locking device?	Yes____ No____
31	Is the garage door kept closed and locked at all times?	Yes____ No____
32	Are the garage windows secured adequately for ground floor windows?	Yes____ No____
33	Is the outside utility entrance to the garage as secure as required for any ground floor entrance?	Yes____ No____
34	Are tools and ladders kept in the garage?	Yes____ No____
35	Are all garage doors lighted on the outside by at least a 40 watt light?	Yes____ No____

This checklist is provided courtesy of the Ruston Police Department and National Sheriff's Association.

Last updated: 03/19/05

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