ADT Security Pro - Home Security Blog

When leaving for vacation or traveling over the holidays to visit family, it is important to take steps to protect your home while you are away. What are best ways to ensure your home remains secure when you are gone and how should you arm your security system?

"I don't have anything to steal," says Jonathon to the security consultant while discussing home security.

It's a common response one hears as a security system consultant. "We're just starting out," "We are minimalists and most of what we have is not worth much," similar statements are made to reflect that even in the event of a break-in, the monetary value of what might bet taken is small. 

While this can be true, this picture shows a safe that was in our own Bill Wood's clients' home. A couple that did not think about their identity being stolen and now all of their important papers are in the hands of a burglar. This safe was tucked away in an Attic. 

Having your personal papers stolen can lead to identity theft. Information as simple as the mail on your counter can lead to months of being drug through hell as someone else assumes your identity and wreaks havoc on your credit, bank accounts and life. 

This last week, I read the article in Angie's List Magazine about FAST FIRES. It impacted the way I think about home fire safety for my own family and your family. The article was written by Paul F. P. Pogue and titled Material Menace. It is about how three decades ago, you had 17 minutes to get out in a home fire... now with modern homes, you have three to four minutes. WOW... What's Changed?

When I was younger, I remember leaving my purse in the car to run into places. You could also leave the windows down on you car and not lock doors. Upon return, your items were right where you left them, every time. 

You probably agree those days are gone... possibly L-O-N-G gone. We'd best take some precautions to keep our belongings just that... our belongings!

Here at California Security Pro, we hope this is the most exciting or if you prefer, the most relaxing Summer of your life. The memories you make should be at your choosing, not in response to a break-in or theft.

Summer Safety Tips for your home's security...

You probably already know that burglary numbers go up for the summer months. Thadeus the thief must like the nice weather too... he's extra active during the warmer months. A possible reason sited is you are out enjoying the great weather and summer festivities. Whatever reasons old Thad is on the prowl, there are some simple tips to keep him out of your house.

1. Don't open the door unless you know the person - You definitely want to go to the door and let the person on the other side know that people are home. A common practice for burglars is to knock and knock to verify the house is empty and then break-in. So ask who it is through a locked door and tell the salesman or lost person or kid looking to give you a free exterior paint quote that it's not a good time. You are washing killer, your 100 pound wolf/rottweiler mix or just on a conference call. This will also save you from all the scams that come knocking on your door during summer. 

In this 3rd look at recent crime, we'll look at crime prevention and preparedness. 

“I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn’t been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn’t have been lucky.”  ― Oprah Winfrey

How true that is when a burglar comes knocking. Those that get a lucky break are often the most prepared. 

To recap, Part 1 : recent crime in your area was how to find out exactly what's going on in your community and even stay on top of it with sites like Nixle.com that text you with up to the minute information of what's going on now close to your home. 

In Part 2 : What to do when you have a break-in we looked at what you do when you actually are a victim of a crime specifically a break-in or burglary. 

Here we will look at how a security system and some do-it-yourself steps add the layers of protection necessary to prevent the worse if it looks your way. If you are staying on top of local crime and crime trends, many come to the conclusion that it can happen to you just as easily as the nice couple on the news last night that weren't expecting it. This blog tells you what to do to NOT be them.  

If you just had aburglary, there's no need for me to tell you how this all feels. If you are on the lucky end and you are just looking into how to prevent it, take a moment and imagine what this all looks like:

You grab a coffee with an old friend. You catch up a bit, who has kids? Where did the super smart redheaded guy from high-school end up? Married to the head cheerleader?? No one saw that coming! Awww, they have cute kids... what? they run a farm stand? Wow, the years have flown!!

You're pondering this all as you pull into your driveway. Hmm, why can't that teenager turn lights off, almost every light in the house is on. The front door looks a little weird too. You get closer and it's clear, it's been kicked in. 

Did you know that 34% of break-ins occur right through the front door?

Gutsy, Right?

This makes sense when the most common "tactic" involves the front door.  A would-be thief will check out a neighborhood, maybe they found some "clues" like an empty TV box by the trash can, a new Samsung - 65" TV. Or they can see through a window and your laptop is sitting hte in plane sight and no one is home...

Now there is a burglar at your front door... He'll knock and look like he has an appointment with you. He's knocking. Waiting. He has a clipboard in his hand. He's looking at his watch and looking, well... pissed off that you aren't answering. He peeks in a window and looks up and down the street again, then at his watch. Mrs. Applegate figures you missed an appointment and goes back to, well, baking pies or whatever she does on a Wednesday afternoon. Mr. McBurglar knows he's in the clear and in 30 seconds has kicked your door in and no one saw it! If they saw him at all, they saw a young guy in a uniform or dark pants, but he looked like he had business there... and oh baby did he!

Garage and shed burglary is on the rise. It does seem like an obvious, as these areas are often less vigilantly protected than the areas of the home that we occupy and present the option of danger to our family. However, as far as property value goes, garages often house our cars (for many the second highest valued items you'll ever purchase.) If there is no car in the garage, you might have the man cave, fully decked out with a Kegerator and flat screen, or the camping, sports, and entertaining items like the fine china. A recent survey found that 24.3 percent of those surveyed have had goods stolen from an outside area like a garage, shed or carport.

As a blog contributor for a home security company, October is the month the forces conspire to demand that all are reminded of the all important safety tips for Halloween. And with good reason, year after year, Halloween is the single most dangerous day for pedestrians. So while I can't just ignore the forces that be, an equally passionate voice is yelling, "Let The People Eat Cake!" or the Halloween equivalent: "Let's look at cute dogs in Halloween costumes and then eat cake... or candy."