When someone knocks at your door and claims to be an unexpected delivery man or government or meter reader, ask for a name and a badge number so you can call the agency and confirm the persons identity. Do NOT ask them for the phone # of their agency, you may be calling their criminal friend. Look up the agency phone number your self. If you can not verify someones identity at your front door, call 911 immediately.
Keep shrubs and bushes Trimmed and use outdoor lighting to eliminate places where a prowler could hide, especially around doors.
Install peepholes in Doors at a height that everyone in your family can use.
Be wary of anyone offering to do repairs or contract work door-to-door. Ask their name and company name. Verify that a company is legitimate, look up the phone number, call the company, ask if they have sales people in your area and get the salesmans name.
If someone wants to use your phone, offer to make the call for them yourself.
Always Lock Exterior Doors, not only at night, but every time you leave the house, even if it's just for a few minutes. Install and use only keyed dead bolt locks for security. Cheap door handle locks are easily opened.
Keep outdoor lights on in the evening – whether or not someone is home. If you only turn on when no one is home, it could signal more alert burglars when you are not home.
Lock all Windo ws at all times, even when opened a few inches for ventilation. Unlocked windows are an easy way to get into your home.
Use a dowel or pin or other approved way to secure sliding glass doors. Check the security of your sliding doors by trying to lift them off the track or otherwise open them.
Lock gates, garage doors, and shed doors. At the end of the day in the yard, check that all these doors are locked and secure.
Keep sheds and Garages Locked. Store cooking grills, lawn mowers, bicycles, etc. in the garage or shed, or cover them with a tarp and lock them to a stationary object.
Leave spare keys with a trusted neighbor, not under a doormat or planter or other obvious hiding place. You could also hide it under a patio stone or other inconvenient location, you will only need it in an emergence, not daily or even monthly.
Do not leave tool s outside, where they could be stolen or used to break into your home.
Use timers to turns lights and televisions on and off when you are not home. Make it appear someone is at home.
Make and keep a Complete home inventory. Record credit card numbers, appliances serial numbers, phone numbers of credit card companies so you can report stolen cards quickly and easily if they are lost or stolen.
If you are away for an extended time , stop mail and newspaper deliveries, ask a neighbor to remove any newspapers, mail or fliers that might indicate you are not at home.