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SECURITY HABITS 

House Numbers       House numbers should be visible day or night from the street at least three inches high and one half inch wide.  In rural areas, name and number should be displayed on the mailbox.  This is important for the police officer or EMS unit responding to a complaint at your home. 

Locks and Keys        An unlocked lock is not a lock!  Habitually locking your home, closing and locking garage doors when away or at night is something everyone needs to do.  You should re-key door locks whenever you move into an apartment or house.  Re-keying locks is relatively inexpensive.  Hiding a key outside your house is NOT a good idea and should always be avoided. 

Shrubbery                 Are the doors and windows of your house hidden by shrubbery?  If so, trim the shrubs so the burglar is denied the opportunity to hide behind them.  Shrubbery should not be more than four feet high. 

Lighting                     External security lighting is important, but exclusive use of lighting when the home is unoccupied may actually tip off the burglar. It is smart to use interior lights on a timer whenever you are going to be away from home at night.  Leaving a radio playing can also confuse the burglar. 

Operation I.D.           If all else fails, Operation I.D. will often deter a burglar. Homeowners and property owners should always mark property in two places to better their chances of recovering stolen property.  Use your social security number for home and federal tax number for business as your identifying number. 

Strangers                  Do NOT let a stranger into your home until you are satisfied that you know who they are and what the purpose of their visit is.  Identification of salespeople, public utilities workers, repairmen, plainclothes police officers, and stranded strangers should always be required before opening the door.  A wide angle (190 degrees) door viewer is an absolute must if visibility of callers is not possible.  Partially opening the door with a door chain should be discouraged. 

Vacation Plans          Make planning your security a part of your vacation plans.  Secure your home and leave some lights on a timer.  Leave a key with a trusted neighbor.  Make arrangements to have your lawn mowed.  Stop mail and newspaper delivery.  Contact the police department and ask for house watch.  Ask a neighbor to park their car in your drive while you are gone. 

Smoke Detector       Make sure your smoke detector is working properly.  Check the batteries regularly. 

Burglar Alarms          Alarms are an excellent tool for protecting your home, but they need to be serviced and tested periodically.