Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Top Five Tips From A Reformed Burglar

How vulnerable is your home? Jon Rainey knows home security, because he knows how to get around it. Listen to what Rainey says about the best ways to protect your home and family. Here are the top five tips from a reformed burglar:

Not Just Any Dog Can Be a "Guard Dog"
In some cases, a barking dog may be all it takes to scare a would-be thief away, because barking draws attention. However, even the loudest, biggest, meanest dog can turn into a whimpering coward when threatened by a stranger, and professional thieves know it. Plus, Rainey keeps his pockets full of dog treats, so he can instantly go from "stranger" to "friend." Don't rely solely on your poor pooch to protect you from criminals.

If You Have an Alarm System, Use It
Homes without an alarm system are three times as likely to be targeted than homes with one. But, if you have an alarm system and you don't use it, you might as well not have one at all. Professional thieves stake out their targets to watch their comings and goings. Over half of all burglaries committed on residences occur between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. If thieves see that you never set your alarm when you leave during the day, they'll make a move.

Don't Hide Your House Keys in Fake Rocks
By now, thieves have seen it all. They know every nook and cranny where you might hide your spare key - those fake rocks don't trick them anymore. To properly secure a spare key, keep it in a lockbox or with a trusted neighbor. Thieves always look under the mat. If you hide a key near the door, you might as well leave the door wide open.

Secure Even the Smallest Windows
When Rainey slipped into a police officer's basement through an unsecured window, the officer's wife angrily glared at the CCTV footage and cried: "'Nobody can fit through that window,' my husband said. Even police officers underestimate the stealth of criminals. In one particular example, Rainey was able to steal not only a hand gun and ammunition, but the police officer's uniforms. Just think of how dangerous those items can be in a real criminal's hands. The moral? Secure every entry to your home, even if you are convinced no person could fit through it.

Change Your Garage Door Opener Code
Many people don't realize that garage door openers come pre-set with codes that are meant to be changed after they are installed. Plenty of folks just keep the same code right out of the box, totally unaware that all a thief has to do is drive around a neighborhood with a garage door opener, aiming it at every door they see until a door opens. Then they can walk right in and steal expensive lawn equipment or even your car. Worse yet, homeowners may not lock the door leading from the garage to the house, providing a thief easy access to everything. Ralph Winn

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