Burglars and thieves are opportunists. They wait for home owners or occupants to make careless mistakes or take advantage of bad habits. Here are some things to know to help keep your home and family safe.
In your home
When leaving your home, make sure all your windows are properly closed and doors are locked.
Keep a light or radio turned on or put them on a timer.
If you have a security system, make sure you turn it on! If you have a babysitter, make sure they know how to arm/disarm the system.
At night, close your curtains or pull your shades.
Never leave a key outside under a welcome mat, above a doorway, etc. Those are the first places burglars look.
When arriving home, if you suspect someone is inside your garage or house, DON'T GO IN! Get away quickly and go to a neighbour’s house and call the police.
Taking a vacation
Have a neighbour or friend pick up your papers, mail, and flyers.
Have someone take care of your lawn and/or clearing your driveway on longer vacations.
Have someone park their car in your driveway.
Lock the garage door track. Secure the garage windows the same as your home doors and windows.
Ask a friend to housesit your home.
Tenant Moving out
Change the code for the house alarm.
Change locks if your outgoing tenants lose their keys or fail to return all copies.
Phone calls
Have telephones in more than one room.
When setting up your answering machine or voicemail, never say "We're not home". Instead, say "We're busy" or "We're unavailable". Use "we" instead of "I".
Don't give your full or last name in the message. Either give your number or give only your first names. Single women may wish to have a male friend leave the message or use the machine's pre-recorded message.
Make sure children and babysitters never tell a caller they are alone. Have them say "My parents can't come to the phone right now".
Never volunteer any information to unknown callers. NEVER give your name, address, or any bank or credit card numbers to someone calling you unless you know them personally.
New Stuff
Never leave empty TV, Blue-ray/DVD, computer, or packaging from expensive gifts on the curb. If they won't fit in the recycling container, consider taking large boxes to a recycler yourself or simply cutting the boxes down to smaller pieces.
These days, some families barely have time to see each other, let alone get to know their neighbours. Joining a Neighbourhood Watch is a great way to meet your neighbours. You can find out what good/bad things are going on in your neighbourhood. Problems are much easier to solve when you have input from many people. There is strength in numbers! A Neighbourhood Watch normally has a good working relationship with the local police precinct. Knowing your neighbours and the normal neighbourhood activities gives you the advantage over strangers. As a bonus, you may make a new friend or two! If you see something you know is wrong, don't hesitate to call for help. If there is no Neighbourhood Watch in your neighbourhood, the local police can usually provide information and instructions for starting your own.
In your home
When leaving your home, make sure all your windows are properly closed and doors are locked.
Keep a light or radio turned on or put them on a timer.
If you have a security system, make sure you turn it on! If you have a babysitter, make sure they know how to arm/disarm the system.
At night, close your curtains or pull your shades.
Never leave a key outside under a welcome mat, above a doorway, etc. Those are the first places burglars look.
When arriving home, if you suspect someone is inside your garage or house, DON'T GO IN! Get away quickly and go to a neighbour’s house and call the police.
Taking a vacation
Have a neighbour or friend pick up your papers, mail, and flyers.
Have someone take care of your lawn and/or clearing your driveway on longer vacations.
Have someone park their car in your driveway.
Lock the garage door track. Secure the garage windows the same as your home doors and windows.
Ask a friend to housesit your home.
Tenant Moving out
Change the code for the house alarm.
Change locks if your outgoing tenants lose their keys or fail to return all copies.
Phone calls
Have telephones in more than one room.
When setting up your answering machine or voicemail, never say "We're not home". Instead, say "We're busy" or "We're unavailable". Use "we" instead of "I".
Don't give your full or last name in the message. Either give your number or give only your first names. Single women may wish to have a male friend leave the message or use the machine's pre-recorded message.
Make sure children and babysitters never tell a caller they are alone. Have them say "My parents can't come to the phone right now".
Never volunteer any information to unknown callers. NEVER give your name, address, or any bank or credit card numbers to someone calling you unless you know them personally.
New Stuff
Never leave empty TV, Blue-ray/DVD, computer, or packaging from expensive gifts on the curb. If they won't fit in the recycling container, consider taking large boxes to a recycler yourself or simply cutting the boxes down to smaller pieces.
These days, some families barely have time to see each other, let alone get to know their neighbours. Joining a Neighbourhood Watch is a great way to meet your neighbours. You can find out what good/bad things are going on in your neighbourhood. Problems are much easier to solve when you have input from many people. There is strength in numbers! A Neighbourhood Watch normally has a good working relationship with the local police precinct. Knowing your neighbours and the normal neighbourhood activities gives you the advantage over strangers. As a bonus, you may make a new friend or two! If you see something you know is wrong, don't hesitate to call for help. If there is no Neighbourhood Watch in your neighbourhood, the local police can usually provide information and instructions for starting your own.
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