Make Yourself a Tougher Target Against Crime!

Burglar Protection
Lighten up-Leave your outside lights on at night. If your neighborhood is dimly lit, ask your municipal authorities to add streetlights or replace existing bulbs with ones of higher wattage. Put inside lamps on timers.

Install motion-detecting outdoor floodlights around your home. Remember to mount them high enough to prevent intruders from disabling them.

Make sure exterior door hinges are on the inside rather than the outside - where an intruder can remove the pins and pull the door out of the frame.

Make noise. Tune the stereo or TV to your favorite station when you leave the house. To a burglar it means that someone's home.

Leave curtains slightly parted so your house doesn't have an empty look.

Lock up. Reliable dead-bolt door locks and sturdy window latches help prevent break-ins.

If there's any chance a previous resident may still have keys to your house, re-key the locks.

If exterior doors are hollow-core, replace them with solid wood, fiberglass or steel. Use heavy duty plates on door frames.

Trim the hedges. Tall hedges provide hiding places for would-be burglars. Keep yours trimmed so that they're no higher than your windowsills. Thorny shrubs under a window help deter burglars.

Don’t leave unsecured ladders around the exterior of your home.

Never open the door to a stranger. Install peepholes in all exterior doors so you can identify whoever is outside. Do not rely on a door safety chain, because these can be broken easily.

Give the appearance you are not alone if there is a knock at the door. For example, call out, “I’ll get it, Jack.”

Ask for I.D. from service representatives who come to your home. If they don't have it or you don’t feel entirely confident, check with their company to verify identity before letting them in.

Never leave notes on your door, even when you're at home.

Permanently mark your valuables to make it easier for the police to return them to you if they are stolen. Keep a record of marked objects.

Take inventory of valuables in your household and store it somewhere other than your home, such as in a safe deposit box.

Don't provide access. Close and lock garage doors to protect stored valuables stored and prevent access to your house.

If your garage has windows, remove the red cord from the garage opener. A burglar can use it to manually open the door.

Post emergency numbers near telephones.

If you're planning to go away, be careful whom you tell.

Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway when you’re away, and move it occasionally. It gives the appearance that someone's always home and prevents burglars from backing a van into the drive for easy loading.

Hire a housesitter when you're away. Ask a neighbor to collect newspapers and mail. If you'll be gone for an extended period, hire someone to take care of your lawn, take in your mail, and shovel snow. Most important, make sure your neighbors know when you will leave and when you will return.

Be careful with spare keys. If you leave a spare key outside, be creative.

Burglars routinely check under flowerpots and welcome mats and on window ledges.

To secure sliding glass doors, add a bolt lock or use a "charley bar" to block the door closed.

Use bars to secure basement or garage doors and add bars to basement windows.

Most home burglaries occur during the day, so get in the habit of always locking all doors and windows.

Never leave an answering machine message indicating you're not at home. Instead, just say you "can't come to the phone."

Report any suspicious persons or vehicles to your local police. If possible get license plates.

Get to know your neighbors.

If you have elderly or friends or relatives with disabilities, check to make sure their security devices are all in good working order.

Some burglars scan newspapers for wedding and funeral announcements and special community and holiday events that might take you out of your home, so be especially careful on these occasions.

Don't leave valuables in sight through windows, where they will tempt burglars.

Many garage door openers respond to common codes, so follow the manufacturer's instructions to program yours with a unique code no burglar's opener will match.

Don't put your name or address on your key ring, because it might lead a thief right to your door with key in hand.

When having a car parked or serviced, leave only the car keys.

Make sure the street number on your house is large, well lit and unobstructed so emergency personnel can find your home quickly.

Install a monitored alarm. Gives you peace of mind when you are away and when you are at home. Select a system with one touch buttons for response from police, fire and medical authorities. Homes with monitored systems are usually eligible for homeowners insurance discounts.

Road Safety
Study your route on a map before you start. If you get lost, pull into a well-lit public area to look at a map.

Don’t leave any items in your car. This includes making sure you don’t have any change or other small items in view. Keep car doors locked and park in lighted areas near entrances.

Have keys ready so you can enter the car quickly... after checking the back seat and floors.

If bumped by another car, don’t get out. Signal the other driver to follow you to a police station or another place where you will feel safe.

Go out with friends or family rather than by yourself.
Hold your purse close to you or keep your wallet in an inside front pocket.

Don't carry large amounts of cash or unneeded credit cards.