HOME SECURITY : Putting Out the Unwelcome Mat for Those Would-Be Burglars

Before you leave for that fantastic vacation in the Tropics . . . or even on a quick business trip, consider the home you’re leaving behind.

As crime rates continue to increase, more residents are realizing that protecting their homes is not something they can continue to ignore. Fortunately, there are several preventive measures that can help ensure your home’s safety.

One of the best defenses is to simply get to know your neighbors, according to Nancy Harrigan, crime prevention specialist with the Brea Police Department. Harrigan’s responsibilities include helping residents of both Brea and Yorba Linda develop Neighborhood Watch groups. Between the two cities, Harrigan has worked with hundreds of residential groups that are committed to keeping their neighborhoods safe.

“In many instances, people have lived in their homes for years without getting to know their neighbors,” she said. “More people are at work all day or leading busier lives. They just don’t get out to meet their neighbors. I’m always looking for those people who are home during the day. Maybe they’re retirees, mothers with small children, or people who work afternoon or evening shifts. These people are incredibly valuable to a neighborhood and should be cherished.

“The image of a typical burglar breaking into a home while the family is asleep isn’t too accurate,” she said. “Of course, some do fit that description, but the overwhelming majority are looking for places where nobody’s home. They want to get in and out quickly. And most burglaries occur from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. For this reason, if you have people home in your neighborhood during those times, they can report on any suspicious activity.”

The only way neighbors will know if something is suspicious is if they know each other. At Neighborhood Watch meetings, neighbors not only meet, but learn a little about one another--their schedules, family members, where they live.

“We try to get people to call the police if they see a stranger acting suspiciously,” said Harrigan. “We aren’t going to run down some innocent person, but we will stop by to check. Perhaps the 16-year-old in your neighbor’s yard is helping with the yard work . . . or maybe he’s trying to break in.

“We receive more calls from neighborhoods where a Neighborhood Watch is in place. Because of all the attention, these places ultimately become less desirable for would-be thieves.”

When reporting suspicious activity, provide as many details as possible: sex, race, clothing, unusual features, a car license number, model or color. Also state where the person is and in what direction he or she is moving. If the suspect is leaving, point out the apparent route.

Besides the Neighborhood Watch programs, there are other security measures that homeowners can take to protect their property.

Most homes in Orange County cost more than a few hundred thousand dollars and contain valuable property inside, yet many people spend only a few hundred dollars on security hardware.

To help protect your home, deadbolt locks should be installed on all outside entrances, in addition to the lock sets already in place. A deadbolt should have at least a 1-inch bolt (the projection from the door into the door jamb), a tapered and rotating cylinder guard (to prohibit twisting of the lock with a wrench or pliers), and a five-pin tumbler (to increased the difficulty of picking the lock).

“So often we see people with beautiful homes and a $5 lock on the front door,” Harrigan said.

Exterior doors should also be solid--at least 1 3/4-inches thick--making them harder to kick in or break down. Even the type of door hinges can mean the difference between safe and sorry. Hinges of poor quality can easily be removed, allowing the thief to open the door from the end opposite the lock. While a burglar may not be able to completely open the door, it can be opened far enough to squeeze through.

Those who own homes with French doors may also want to add a flush bolt. A flush bolt can be installed at the top and bottom of a door that is not in use. These bolts provide additional security when used in combination with a deadbolt lock. A double-cylinder deadbolt is also recommended. However, make sure the key is near the door and within reach of all family members in case of an emergency that necessitates an immediate exit.

“If people move into a new housing development, they should change the locks,” Harrigan said. “Developers tend to use the same locks on many of their units so you have no idea who can open your door. Fortunately, it isn’t terribly expensive to re-key locks.”

Sliding glass doors and windows should also be secured. To ensure that sliding windows or doors can’t be lifted out of their tracks, drill a small hole in the top of the door frame, angling downward. After this is accomplished, place a small flat-head screw securely into the drilled hole. Wooden dowels and supplemental locks, such as thumb turn locks and anti-slide locks, can also be placed in the track of the window to prevent sliding.

For sash-type windows (that move up and down), drill a small hole at a downward angle through the top corner of the bottom window and then insert a metal pin. This prevents the window from being opened, even if the lock is broken.

Old-fashioned crank windows are among the hardest windows to break through. Providing that the locking latch and the crank are in good condition, little else needs to be done to secure these windows. However, key lock handles are available for those who desire a little more security.

On the opposite end of the safety scale are louvered windows. Although there are some security “clips” on the market, these windows are the most difficult to secure.

“Although we’ve had more window smashes recently, most burglars don’t like to resort to this because it makes noise,” said Harrigan. “And glass breaking has a distinctive sound. That’s where knowing your neighbors comes in handy. If they hear that sound, they can call.”

Burglars who resort to window smashes can be further hampered by new plasticene coatings that can be applied to windows. While this coating tends to be expensive, it’s a good investment to consider. When windows are coated, they crack but they don’t break.

While many people do give serious thought to securing their windows, they often neglect one of the most common means of entry by burglars: the door leading from the garage to the house. Inside the garage, the families often have cars, power tools, bicycles, washers and dryers.

Burglars have been known to use a family’s own tools to gain entry inside a home. For this reason, keeping the garage secure is important.

Garages equipped with electronic garage door openers are pretty secure. Periodic checks, however, should be made to make sure that the bottom of the door cannot be lifted up enough to provide crawl space. For those without garage door openers, both sides of the garage door should be equipped with strong padlocks.

Features to look for in a padlock include a double-locking mechanism (meaning that both ends of the padlock will lock), a five-pin tumbler, and a hardened steel shackle (naturally, the harder and thicker the shackle, the lower the risk of breakage). Look for padlocks with a key-retaining feature that prevents someone from removing the key unless the padlock is secure.

Besides good locks, lights are deterrents to most burglars.

“The majority of burglars don’t want a confrontation,” Harrigan said. “So it makes sense to make it look as though someone is around.”

After everything is locked up tightly, leave a few lights on--and frequently change the rooms that are lit, according to Harrigan. If you always leave the front porch light on when you’re out, you are practically announcing that nobody’s home. Either keep the porch light on all the time--or at least keep it on several times a week when you are home so a pattern doesn’t develop.

New pressure-sensitive lighting is activated by movement. According to Harrigan, these lights are relatively inexpensive and a good deterrent for two reasons: They light the area where movement is taking place, making burglars more visible, and they throw thieves off guard since they’re not sure how the lights were turned on.

“I’ve always believed that lighting is one of the most inexpensive forms of security,” said Harrigan. “Leave lights on when you’re home and when you’re away. Burglars do watch homes to learn the schedules of the residents. You want to keep them guessing.”

It’s also a good idea to keep a record of your property in the event that a burglary does take place. Using a video camera, or even a still camera, travel from room to room, opening drawers and closets and filming valuable items and household belongings. This will make it easier to identify stolen property as well as provide a record for insurance purposes. Some people also engrave their driver’s license number on appliances, cameras and other valuable equipment to make it more difficult for them to be resold.

Alarm and security systems are further deterrents, but they don’t take the place of good locks and lighting, according to Harrigan.