There are several simple steps that residents can take to protect their home from becoming a target of a crime.
- Install outdoor lighting to illuminate areas around your home such as entrances and the garage.
- Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed to eliminate hiding places for burglars and other criminals.
- Always keep your doors and windows locked, even when you are home.
- Install a peephole in your front door.
- Remember to always shut your garage door.
- Secure windows and sliding glass doors with auxiliary locks. Special door pins, available at home improvement stores, can prevent your sliding doors from being lifted from their tracks during a burglary attempt.
- Ensure that all exterior doors have deadbolts installed for added security.
- Never store or hide keys outside or under your doormat.
- Bring all garage door remotes into your home. Never leave a remote in a car in your driveway.
- Don’t open the door for anyone you don’t know.
Chief Lyter
Whenever you will be away from your home for extended periods, be sure to take the following precautions:
- Notify a friend or family member that you will be away and ask them to periodically check on your home.
- Use timers to turn lights on inside your home to give the appearance that your home is occupied.
- Have your newspaper and mail held, or picked up by a friend or neighbor.
- Ask your neighbor to park in your driveway and use your trash cans
