How To Prevent Burglary?

What does a BURGLAR look like?

Experience has shown us that burglars like many things (mostly other people’s things), but two conditions are preferred by most thieves:

• An invitation, and
• A fast, easy, undetected entry and exit

Burglary invitations aren’t stuffed into envelopes as are birthday party invites; nor do we hang signs on our doors – “BURGLARS WELCOME” – the way we attach balloons to the mailbox. However, invitations are sent and signs are posted which are equally effective. Have you observed the pile of newspapers or how the mail overflows from your mailbox? Other invites you might recognize include:

• Non-maintained yard.
• Keys left in your vehicle while you run into the store.
• Dark or concealed hiding areas.
• Windows left open when you are away.
• Notes left on exterior doors explaining where you have gone.
• The spare house key on top of the door jam. (Did you think no one knew that key was there?)
• Messages on answering machines stating you are away.
• An open garage door.
• Sliding glass door, without auxiliary locks.
• A house unlit night after night.
• Privacy fence.
• Flimsy door latches and locks.
• Basement windows.

After receiving his invitation the burglar also looks for a quick, undetected entry and exit. He will choose the path of least resistance, which affords him the best chance of getting away without being caught. For this reason, most burglars work the night shift hiding under the cover of darkness. This is an opportunity afforded by nature; other access and escape opportunities, which we provide include:

• A large shrub in front of a window
• A dark alley behind the residence
• A privacy fence around the yard
• An unlocked door or window
• A sliding glass door
• An exterior door without a deadbolt lock

Stay tuned for more safety tips!

Tips for Handling Bogus Phone Calls

They may say that their car has broken down and they need to phone someone for help. They may pretend to be a workman, saying that they need to check your electricity or water. They might even claim to be from the council and that they are carrying out a local survey. Whatever reason a caller gives, you need to be sure that they aren’t just trying to get into your home to steal something.

There are around 12,000 incidents of “distraction burglary” each year, where callers get into homes and then steal cash or valuables while the occupier is distracted in some way. Sometimes they work in pairs, with one doing the talking while the other is stealing and they often target the elderly.

Be on your guard every time the doorbell rings, or there’s a knock at your door. Look out of your window to see who’s there first and if you don’t know who the person is, open the window slightly and talk to them that way, rather than opening your door. Alternatively, have a viewer fitted in your front door so that you can take a good look at who’s there first. If your eyesight isn’t so good, don’t worry as you can now get wide-angle viewers to help you see better.

Put the door chain or door bar on before opening the door and talk through the gap. You could even fit a small mirror to the wall next to the door so that you can easily see the person you are talking to. When the caller has left and you’ve closed the door, don’t forget to unhook the chain so that any friend or relative you have given a key to can still get in.

Make sure your back door is locked if someone knocks at your front door. Sometimes thieves work together with one coming in the back way, while the other keeps you talking at the front.

Keeping the chain on the door, ask callers from the council or any other organization to pass through some identification. If you need your glasses to check this don’t think it’s rude to close the door and go and get them. A genuine caller won’t mind. If you’re still not sure, ask the caller to leave and tell them to write and make an appointment so that someone else can be with you the next time they call. The basic rule is if you don’t know the person at your door don’t let them in.

As part of the Government’s “Stop, Chain, Check” campaign, local councils, social services and Age Concern centers have further information they can provide to older people. They can also help with door viewers, chains and mirrors, and in certain circumstances, may be able to supply a personal attack alarm that connects through to a control center.

Boat Safety & Security

Thieves are always on the lookout for easy targets. Don’t make yourself an easy target. Always follow these simple steps.

• Never leave anything valuable on display, however small and insignificant it may seem. Thieves steal first and think about value later.
• Don’t leave anything loose in the cockpit or on deck.
• Don’t leave your engine key in the ignition – always take it with you.
• Keep your boat keys separate from your engine keys.
• Always keep your boat locked when no one is on board, even for a short time.
• Use strong padlocks or rimlocks on all your hatches, entry points and cockpit lockers.
• Constantly check and improve the security on your boat. It’s a good idea to fit an alarm and use a visible sticker to say that one is fitted.
• Make sure your cockpit lockers can be properly locked, and check that your main hatch and fore-hatch are strong.
• Also think about having a strongbox down below. If you don’t think something is secure, get it fixed.

Improve your security

Once you’ve tied up alongside, always do a quick security check before going ashore.

Always:

• Lock anything valuable out of sight in a strong locker secured by a strong padlock;
• Lock up emergency money away from other valuables;
• Keep your curtains closed so that no-one can look in;
• Keep unused ropes, fenders and other items out of sight in your cockpit, lockers and cupboards – and always lock them;
• Make sure that your life raft and outboard motor are secure, as these are valuable and attractive to boat thieves.
• When you go ashore from a dinghy, always remove your oars or paddles, rowlocks or pump, and secure the dinghy with a strong chain and padlock.
• If you are the victim of boat theft, call the police immediately and tell the harbour master or boatyard manager. Check to make sure that your boat is still seaworthy and hasn’t been badly damaged.
• And, if you can, check that neighboring boats haven’t been broken into as well.
• Get to know other boat owners in your marina and work together to keep the marina secure. You can do the following.
• Keep an eye on other boats, as well as your own.
• Report any strangers at the marina to the harbour master or yard master.
• Don’t give your marina access card or key to other people.
• Never tell anyone else the access code to the marina.
• Don’t let strangers into the marina, however genuine they may seem.
• Keep the marina gate closed at all times.

Avoiding Violent Crimes

Sexual Assault

1. Use initials instead of first names on mail boxes and phone listings.
2. Avoid remaining alone in an apartment laundry room or parking garage.
3. Never admit on the telephone or at the door that you are alone.
4. It is risky to accept a ride home from someone you have just met.
5. If you decide to physically resist assault, remember that your goal is to incapacitate the attacker long enough to run to safety and get help.
6. If you have been a victim of sexual assault, call police immediately. Do not bathe or change clothes or you may destroy evidence.

Robbery

1. Avoid carrying valuable items or large amounts of money.
2. Always think ahead. For example, when traveling at night, have your keys ready to enter the house or to start the car.
3. If you are confronted by a robber, the best advice is to cooperate.
4. If you resist, there is a greater chance that you may be hurt.

Bank Machines

1. When using an automatic bank teller, always be watchful of any suspicious people around you.
2. The chances of being robbed at night are much greater, especially if you are alone.
3. If you find someone waiting and watching outside in the area of an ATM machine, do not use it. Leave the area and report the incident to the police immediately. You could save someone else from being a victim of crime.

Street Safety- Use Common Sense

1. Stay in well lighted, busy areas. Avoid walking alone and avoid known trouble spots.
2. When you carry a purse, hold it close to your body rather than by the handles. Do not wrap purse straps around your wrist, because you can get hurt in a struggle.
3. Carry only what you need in a purse or wallet, not everything you have.
4. Avoid using shortcuts through dark alleys, fields, or vacant lots.
5. If you think you’re being followed, cross the street and change directions a few times. Go quickly to a well-lighted place with lots of people. Do not go home. You don’t want an attacker to know where you live.

Stay tuned for more safety tips right here!

Everything on ATM Security!

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ATM cash machines have been incorporated in our way of life. They offer a real convenience to those on the run but at the same time offer an element of risk. Using an ATM machine safely requires awareness and a little planning. Just because an ATM machine is open and available 24-hours a day doesn’t mean it is safe to use it. Most ATM robberies occur at night between 8:00 PM and midnight. ATM robbers are usually males under 25 years of age and most work alone. ATM robbers usually position themselves nearby waiting for a victim to approach and withdraw cash. Most ATM robbery victims are women and were alone when robbed. Most claim that they never saw the robber coming. Most ATM robbers used a gun or claimed to have a concealed weapon when confronting the victim and demanding their cash.

If you or your family members use ATM cash machines on a regular basis, here are some tips that can make the process a little safer:

• Use only ATM machines in well-lighted, high-traffic areas. Don’t use ATM machines that are remote or hidden such as being located behind buildings, behind pillars, walls, or away from public view. Beware of obvious hiding places like shrubbery or overgrown trees. ATM robbers like to have the element of surprise and no witnesses. Robbers like good escape routes like nearby freeway on-ramps or high speed thoroughfares.
• Choose an ATM that looks and ‘feels’ safer, even if it is a couple of miles out of the way. Try and limit your use to daylight hours. Take someone with you after hours, if you can. When you drive up to an ATM location, scan the area for any suspicious persons. If you see anyone suspicious standing nearby or sitting in a car, drive away. When you approach an ATM on foot be prepared and have your access card ready. Memorize your personal PIN number to prevent loss and speed the transaction. After inserting your card and your PIN number keep an eye out behind you. Never accept an offer to help or request for help from a suspicious male ahead of you at the machine. If anyone suspicious or seemingly dangerous approaches terminate your transaction and leave immediately, even if it means running away and leaving your ATM card in the machine. First, tell the suspicious male in a loud, firm voice to “back-off” and leave you alone. This is designed to startle the person and give you time to flee, if appropriate. When you receive cash from the machine put it away immediately, extract your card, and walk away.
• If you use your car at a drive-thru ATM machine the same rules apply. Keep the car in gear, with your foot firmly on the brake, while using the ATM machine. Keep a close eye on your rear and side view mirrors during the transaction. Robbers almost always approach from the rear on the drivers side. If you see anyone approaching, drive off even if it means leaving your ATM card behind. If you are confronted by an armed robber, just give up your money without argument. The cash is not worth serious injury or death. Get to a safe place and call the police immediately.
• If lights around the ATM are not working, don’t use that machine
• Avoid ATM machines adjacent to obvious hiding places
• Have your card ready and leave quickly, not counting your cash in public
• Beware of offers for help from strangers during an ATM transaction
• Don’t fight with or attempt to follow the robber
• Drive or walk to a safe place and immediately call the police

Stay tuned for more security and field tactics right here!

Avoid crimes when parking!

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Theft and Vandalism

• Wherever possible, provide each dwelling with its own locked garage within the property boundaries. Locked garages outside the boundaries or well-lit and visible common car parks are the next best thing.
• Where private garages are not feasible, a car-port or driveway parking is preferable to grouped parking away from dwellings.
• As a general rule, underground or multi-story car parks should be avoided, as they are breeding grounds for vandalism and crime. If they already exist, danger could be minimized by limiting entry points and providing them with sturdy locked gates. Alternatively, each resident could be provided with a lockable garage in their own space, with robust, vandal proof metal doors – garages within garages, so to speak. Or users can be provided with a secure lock or a plastic keycard, which operates electronic doors.
• Grouped car parks should be avoided in high-crime areas. If they cannot be avoided, they should be within view of some dwellings; they should be equipped with sturdy gates or tilt doors, and should never be sited near alleyways.
• Open car parks should be small and within view of dwellings and visitors’ car parks should be clearly identifiable, well lit, and visible from dwellings.

Rape, Assault, Robbery

• To make car parks safer, planners should provide direct access from parking areas to the entrance of dwellings.
• Car parks should be no further than 60 meters from dwellings, and the path should be well lit and free from shrubbery.
• Visitors’ car parks should be well lit, clearly identifiable, and visible from dwellings.
• Access to enclosed car parks should be limited to residents by some form of electronic entry control device if possible.
• If it is desirable to limit access to dwellings, make sure access via car parks is monitored as well.
• In high-crime areas, advanced technological surveillance methods may be needed in car parks. For example, an infrared unit is available which detects the presence of intruders – but not cats and dogs – by body heat, and automatically switches on all lights in the car park and turns them off after 15 to 20 minutes.

Stay tuned for more safety tips and field tactics right here!

Going on vacation?

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One of the times your home is most vulnerable is when it is left empty for an extended period of time. Darkened windows, mail or newspapers collecting and closed windows in hotter weather all advertise your absence to a potential burglar.

What could you do to save yourself a burglary?

• The best protection for your apartment during your absence is to have a house sitter. A friend you trust staying at your house can take care of your pets and/or plants in addition to making sure the house is inhabited.

• Have a neighbor check on your apartment while you’re away — turning on lights, radios or TVs and opening and closing curtains will give your apartment the appearance of someone home.

• If you don’t have a friend or neighbor to housesit or check your apartment while you’re away — perhaps even if you do — you should keep not only lights but a TV or radio on a timer. If you’re like me and have your TV on almost all the time you’re home [NOTE: I don't watch it, it's just background noise.], the absence of the sound and that glowing light in the windows announces that you’re not there.

• Make sure whoever is checking your apartment while you’re away knows how to work your alarm system and who to call in case of a problem.

• Unless you have a house sitter, stop your mail and any newspaper or other delivery. Nothing announces an empty apartment better than a stack of newspapers or an overflowing mailbox. Ask a nearby neighbor to pick up any packages delivered while you’re gone.

• If you have a garden or plants on your balcony, make sure someone is watering the plants regularly or put the plants where they can’t be seen. Plants slowly dying due to lack of water may announce your absence.

• Check your lease. Many landlords require that you notify them if your apartment is going to be left empty for any period of time (this is so they can enter in case of emergency even if they can’t reach you). If you’ve got a house sitter this isn’t necessary.

Stay SAFE!