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You probably worry most about intruders at night, but more than half of all break-ins occur in the daytime; weekday mornings are actually prime time for burglaries. Your first step toward a safer home - day or night?
1. Take a walk around its perimeter.
Is the vegetation near your doors and windows well trimmed? Thick shrubbery provides the perfect cover, allowing burglars to work undetected by your neighbors. Prune any overgrown greenery the next time you're working in the garden.
2. Look around your yard.
Do you have ladders, sturdy trash cans, stackable boxes, garden tools, or patio furniture that could help an intruder break in? If so, resolve to stow them in your garage or toolshed.
3. Check all your windows.
Those at street level are favorite entry points because they're easily reachable and often hidden from view.
Make a note to install grilles, bars, or metal security grates that open from the inside with a safety latch to give your family an exit in case of fire.
It's best to get a locksmith or gate manufacturer to install the device rather than doing it yourself.
4. First- and second-story windows can be secured simply by adding a pickproof lock.
Consider a keyed lock, a sash lock, or a locking bolt, depending on the type of window you have.
For sash windows, purchase a simple gadget that screws onto the inside of the frame at the height you choose and contains a knob you can slide out (to prevent the window from opening past the chosen height) or slide in (to allow free opening).
5. Secure sliding aluminum-frame windows.
An aluminum traveler, fastened by a hand-tightened bolt or knob you secure along the lower window track at a desired distance from the opening edge, will keep intruders from sliding open the window should they defeat the primary lock.
6. Create your own window pin lock.
Drill a hole through the top of the inside sashes and three-quarters of the way through the outside sash at a slight downward angle.
Slide nails or eyebolts into the holes with enough of the heads exposed so you can remove them quickly when you need to open the window.
Please note that occupants and rescuers should be able to easily see how to open the window in case there is a fire.
7. When you leave the house, place valuables where passers-by and intruders can't see them.
Always lock up whenever your leave, of course, and keep doors locked while you're in your home. Doors leading outside are where more than three-quarters of all burglars gain entry, and where your efforts are most likely to have a dramatic impact on your family's safety.
8. Secure sliding glass doors.
These are most vulnerable to break-ins, as their rudimentary locks are easy to pick.
The simplest solution is a metal bar or a length of wood dowelling (a section of broom handle also works) placed in the lower door track.
Determined thieves have, however, been known to circumvent these by lifting the glass panels out of their tracks. Make it harder for them by adding a pin lock.
You can buy one from your local locksmith or at your neighborhood hardware store.
Or, as with windows, do it yourself with a drill and nails.
You can remove the nail from the inside, but a burglar won't be able to without breaking the glass. As an added security measure, cover the glass with a polycarbonate glazing.
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