Keeping Your Home Secure

our home is often your greatest investment. It also should be a sanctuary for you and your family. According to the FBI, a burglary occurs somewhere in the U.S. every 15.4 seconds. There are a number of easy and inexpensive steps you can take to insure that you keep both your home and your family as safe as possible from this kind of outside intrusion.

The profile of a burglar

Most burglaries are committed by males under 25 years of age looking for items that are expensive, small and easy to sell. These include jewelry, guns, watches, laptop computers, VCRs, video players, CDs and other small electronic devices.

According to law enforcement officials, the majority of home burglaries take place during the day when many people are away from the home. Surprisingly, 30-35 percent of all burglaries take place with no force whatsoever. When it comes to deciding which home to break in to, burglars choose the path of least resistance. They're looking for:

            •            An unoccupied home

            •            The easiest access

            •            The greatest amount of cover

            •            The best escape routes

Alarm systems are effective deterrents, but can be quite costly. Here's a list of easy and affordable things you can do to significantly reduce your risk of being burgled.

Doors and Locks

Most burglars enter from the front, back or garage doors. The garage door is usually the weakest point of entry. Garage and back doors also usually provide the most cover for potential thieves. An investment in heavy-duty doors and locks is a wise choice.

The most frequently used lock for doors is the residential grade key-in-the-knob latch lock. These locks can be forced by breaking off the knob, and can be opened by prying or slipping a piece of plastic, such as a credit card, between the jamb and the bolt. Start by installing high quality Grade-1 or Grade-2 locks on exterior doors to resist twisting, prying, and lock-picking attempts.

Even if you have heavy-duty doorknob locks, it's a good idea to install dead bolts. A dead bolt lock provides greater security by the use of a solid bolt. Since there are no springs to operate the bolt, the lock can't be sprung open by a swift kick or a slip of a credit card. When it comes to dead bolts, bigger is better. It should have at least a one-inch throw bolt. Look for a dead boltass. Others may be cheaper, but they won't hold up to abuse. If you have an attached garage, make sure you put a dead bolt on the door leading from the garage to your home as well.

The best lock won't help if the door or frame isn't secure. Make sure all exterior doors are metal or solid wood, rather than particleboard. The most common way to force entry through a door with a wooden jamb is to kick it open. The weakest point is almost always the strike plate that holds the latch or lock bolt in place. According to a Consumer Reports study, strike plates and lock reinforcers are inexpensive additions that will significantly increase the kick-resistance of your lock. Start by replacing worn or cracked doorframes, anchoring them into the wall studs with 3-4'' screws. Then upgrade to a four-screw heavy-duty strike plate, again securing them to the doorframe stud with 3-4'' screws. Use these longer screws in each door hinge as well for extra reinforcement.

For sliding glass doors, insert a dowel in the bottom track to prevent opening. Older sliding glass doors can be lifted off their track. For extra security, install anti-lift devices such as a pin that anchors the sliding and fixed portion of the door.

Windows

Windows are popular entry points for burglars because they're left unlocked and open much more often than doors. Most windows have latches, not locks. For extra protection, install locks or blocking devices to prevent windows from being opened from the outside. Wooden dowels work well for horizontal sliding windows and through-the-frame pins are a good solution for vertical sliding windows. Close blinds at night to keep people from surveying possible items for theft. If you like to sleep with your windows open, you can install locking mechanisms that allow the window to stay open no more than six inches—too small a space for anyone to climb through. You'll want to make sure the device can't be removed from the outside, but are easily removable from the inside to comply with fire codes.

Lighting

Good lighting does two things: it makes it appear that people are home, and it reduces the cover that burglars are looking for.

Install light timers inside your home. By automatically turning lights on and off, the timers make it appear the home is occupied. Use light timers near the front and back windows with the curtains drawn so the light is brightly seen from the exterior. You can also use the timers to turn on radios or television sets to further create the appearance of activity.

Exterior lighting is very important as well. Trim trees and shrubs so they don't hide doors, windows or lights. Make sure those points of entry — front door, back door and garage door — are lit from dusk until dawn. A timer or photo-cell system works well for this purpose. You can also include motion sensor security lights, which add an extra level of deterrence. Whatever your method, exterior lighting should be bright enough for you to identify an intruder. Experts recommend 40 watt bulbs or higher. Another note: Law enforcement officials advise against keeping garage or porch lights on all day — burglars see it as a sign that you're out of town.

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Going on vacation?

If you're planning to be out of town, there are some extra steps you can take to reduce your risk of burglary.

1      Have a neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers. Nothing says ''No one's home'' like a stack of newspapers on the porch.

2      If you'll be gone more than a week, arrange for someone to mow your lawn. Again, you want it to appear that the house is occupied.

3      Make sure your interior and exteriors lights are on timers.

4      Have a neighbor or friend park in your driveway or in front of your home.

5     Burglars know homeowners hide keys under mats, in planters or above the door. Give your spare key to a neighbor instead.

6      Don't put your family name on your mailbox or house. Experienced burglars can call directory assistance to get your telephone number and call to confirm that you are away.

7      Keep your home voicemail recording generic, no ''We're gone skiing for two weeks and will be back March 1.''

8     Consider purchasing a home safe for your valuables.