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TIPS
Home
Security & Safety
In Canada, a break and enter occurs about every
three minutes. Given the time and the opportunity
a criminal can break into almost any home. It
is possible to greatly reduce and discourage a
criminal from committing a break and enter by
following simple and effective security measures
to target harden your residence. |
Although no set of security measures are 100 per
cent effective there are many security measures
that will help to reduce the risk. The following
is a list of steps to assist you in target hardening
your home. This list is provided as a guide..
By taking safety and security seriously and incorporating
it into your daily routine you can substantially
reduce the risk of becoming a victim. Criminals
rely on the apathy and carelessness to make their
move.
Home
Security and Safety:
•
Please close your blinds or curtains when you are
not home, and leave a light on if it is dark
outside
• Leave a radio or television
on when you are not home
• Do not leave
notes on your door explaining that you are out of
the house
• Never hide a key outside your
house
• Do not leave your purse or keys
by the door
Locks:
• Locks which have the key hole in the knob
are not reliable; they can be easily forced from
the outside.
• Install one-inch (or longer)
deadbolt locks on all exterior doors. WE RECOMMEND
GRADE 2 CATEGORY FOR ALL EXTERIOR DOOR DEADBOLTS.
Block watch also recognizes UL listed high security
products. UL locks are pick, drill, and very resistant
to tampering. Caution must be used when installing
double cylinder locks on emergency exits.
•
Padlocks should be of good quality with heel-and-toe
locking.
• Key control is important. If
keys are lost, locks should be changed.
Door Security:
• Exterior doors should be of solid core construction.
• Ensure that door frames are solid and
equipped with a high security strike plate, with
3-4 inch wood screws.
• Doors should
be mounted so that hinge bolts are not exposed to
the outside.
• Chain locks are poor security.
Install a door eye-viewer.
• Sliding
glass doors or windows can be lifted out of their
tracks. Install self-tapping screws in the upper
track that allow the door or window to slide into
place. A square edged length of wood, placed in
the bottom track will resist lateral forcing.
• Keep doors shut and locked even when you
are at home.
• Lock all doors and shut
and secure all windows when you leave the house.
Window
Security:
• Most windows
can be pinned for security purposes. Drill a 3/16
inch hole on a slight downward slant through the
inside window frame and half way into the outside
frame. A nail or pin can then be placed in the hole
to secure the window.
• Secure other
openings into your home, such as milk chutes and
air conditioners.
• Windows are easily
pried. Purchase supplementary locks to prevent the
windows from being opened.
• Use security
bars on basement windows. Ensure the security bars
can be opened from the inside in an emergency.
• Close and lock all windows when you are
not home.
• You can purchase window strengthening
film so windows are not so easily broken.
Yard Security:
• Don't leave items such as tools and ladders
accessible in your yard.
• Keep your bushes,
hedges, and shrubs all trimmed so your windows and
doors are not obscured.
• Install sensor
lights that are high enough not to be tampered with
and protected so they cannot be broken.
•
If you are at home and working in the back yard
ensure that your front door is locked. As well,
if you are working in the front yard ensure that
your back door is locked.
Garage
Security:
• The garage
is a major target for a break and enters.
•
Ensure that you install a solid core door on the
pedestrian door of your garage.
• Install
a proper dead bolt and strike plate on the pedestrian
door
• Cover all windows with curtains
or blinds.
• Place a good padlock in the
track of the overhead door and turn off the power
to the overhead door when you are out of town.
• Make sure all garage doors are locked when
you are not in the garage
• Do no leave
vehicle keys or garage door openers in the garage
• Make sure to engrave all tools
•
Make sure to fill out a property record form including
the make, model and serial # of all tools.
• Also fill out a bicycle record form for
any Bicycles that you own.
Going on
Vacation:
• Inform a neighbour of your departure and
return dates and leave a number where you can be
reached in case of an emergency. Be sure to leave
a house key with your neighbour.
• Have your neighbour pick up newspapers and
mail. Arrange for trimming of the lawn and clearing
the walkways.
• Small valuables should be stored in a safety
deposit box at the bank.
• Before leaving, ensure that all entries
are secured.
• Cancel all newspaper subscriptions while
you are away
• Have your interior and exterior lights on
timers
• Leave the radio or television on
• Ask family to check on your home while you
are away
Protect your
property
• Take photographs or videotape all of your
property
• Engrave your B.C. Drivers' License number
on a non-removable part of each item in your home.
• Place jewellery and sentimental items in
a Safety Deposit box at your bank or financial institution
• Small home safes are easily defeated. Do
not use a small safe at home unless it is professionally
bolted into steel or concrete. |
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