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TwitThisHow to Crook-Proof Your Home
Home, alone. Burglary is a crime of opportunity, says Frank Santamorena, Thief's security advisor. The challenge is to deny crooks any opportunity. "In order to build a good mousetrap," he explains, "you've got to think better than a mouse."One of the first things a robber will want to know is if anyone is home. Generally, burglars don't target residences that appear occupied. For that reason, urges Santamorena, take your name off the mailbox. With your address and name, all a crook has to do is call information, get your number, then phone your home to see if someone answers. Bolder thieves will ring the doorbell. For them you can create lived-in sound effects by connecting a timer to a radio or TV. Going on vacation? Ask a neighbor to park his car in your driveway.
Take my stuff. Please. Think about what the casual drive-by crook will see. Johnston and Rainey often case a neighborhood in ordinary guises: a dog walker, a bicyclist, a deliveryman. One house, with a fancy boat parked on a trailer, immediately stood out.
The message is simple: If you've got it, try not to flaunt it. Next time you buy a big-ticket item, like a computer or a plasma TV, break down the carton before you leave it by the curb.
Open invitation. In roughly a third of all break-ins, a thief gets into the house through an unlocked door or window. At Norm and Sherry's house, Rainey simply slashed a screen and climbed through the open window in their son's room.
Don't feel smug just because you lock up -- especially if you hide a key somewhere outside. Those fake rocks aren't fooling anybody. If you want to leave a spare, get a digital key safe -- a metal box with a keypad entry lock. GE's AccessPoint costs $60. For about $100 you can replace your old locks with keyless combination models.
And don't forget about the Big Door, the one to the garage. Change the factory-set code on your electric door to prevent someone from getting in with a common brand of opener.
And stay out! Homes without alarms are three times as likely to be robbed. Typically, crooks see the sign on the lawn and keep going. If they do break in, they rush through and take less.
Surprisingly, though, dogs aren't always effective at keeping the bad guy out. "We don't train our pets to kill. We train them to be friendly," says Santamorena. Rainey has only been bitten once, nipped by a tiny hound. Most of the time, the treats he carries in his pockets win over "guard dogs" instantly. On one job he stole a man's custom pickup truck and his pit bull.
Don't go halfway. Some people think they're safe, but the measures they've installed don't go far enough. Some specifics:
- Install a serious lock. Deadbolts should extend at least one inch into the doorjamb, to keep thieves from kicking them in.
- Bolt your safe to the floor. Otherwise, a thief can pick it up and carry it out. Santamorena recommends Gardall safes, $205 and up.
- Motion lights only work if they stay on. Mount fixtures high, out of reach. If they're too low, all a thief has to do is unscrew the bulb.
"If you're not serious about security," warns Johnston, "that's making a decision to not be safe. Open your eyes to caring a bit more about your home, possessions and loved ones.""
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