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Security
Tips
- Use a timer to turn your lights on and
off while you are away
- Place TV's and stereos where they can
be seen from outside
- Turn your porch light on at night, but
be sure to turn it off during daylight
hours.
- Leave a radio on to present the illusion
of the occurrence of a conversation
- Replace all locks if someone losses
a key or when you move to a new home.
- Do not hide keys outside of your home.
Leave spare keys with a neighbor.
- Lock your doors at all times, even when
you are gone for a few minutes. Lock up
when you are in any remote part of the
house or in the yard.
- Be sure children know who to call in
an emergency.
- Remember your duress code. Choose a
code that is easy to remember in a critical
situation.
o Test your security system semi-annually
to ensure that the Monitoring Station
is receiving the proper signal. Be sure
that you know your cancellation code,
and provide it to the monitoring representative
when you are contacted to determine the
nature of the alarm.
o It is important that you contact the
company that provides your monitoring
service to ensure that your emergency
call list is current in the event of an
alarm.
- Exterior doors should be strong enough
to withstand excessive force.
- All strike plates and frames for exterior
doors should be anchored to the home's
main construction.
- All exterior doors should fit snugly
against the frame and all frames should
be free of warping, cracks, and other
signs of wear and tear.
o Your address should be posted on your
house and be clearly visible from the
street at night and during the day.
- All entrances (doors and windows) to
your home should be well lit at night.
- Ground plants (shrubbery and bushes)
within four (4) feet of any sidewalks,
driveways, doors or gates, should be maintained
at a height of not more than two (2) feet.
- Ground plants under windows should be
maintained at a height that is below the
windowsill.
- Place large gauge gravel on the ground
near windows. The noise caused by intruders
walking on it can become a psychological
deterrent.
- Plant thorny plants along fences and
under windows. Such plants will discourage
even the most nimble intruder. Protecting
with spiny plants is as effective as the
use of barbed wire, and a lot more attractive.
-Don't leave notes for service people
or family members on the door. These act
as a welcome mat for a burglar.
- Do not list your full name on your mailbox
or your entry in the telephone book. Use
only your initial and your last name.
o Ask your neighbors to use your garbage
cans when you're on vacation so your absence
won't be evident
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