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01: Examine all exterior doors. The doors should be solid core with a 1&1/2" deadbolt and a metal strike plate with 2" screws. Any exterior door with glass or within 40" of a glass window should have a double keyed deadbolt to prevent burglars from breaking the window an unlocking the door. In such cases, a key should be hung nearby on the opposite side of the door, away from the glass and window, in case of fire or some other emergency.
02: Solid doors should also have a through the door viewer with 180 degrees visibility, including the door to the garage.
03: Examine patio doors. These doors are most vulnerable. The doors should have either #8 or #10 screws in the top, and not fully screwed in, to prevent lifting the slider door out of the track. Drill a hole through the bottom of the frames of the fixed door and the sliding door where they overlap. At that point pin the doors together by inserting either a steel pin or nail to "lock" the sliding door. A sliding door is very easy to overcome.
04: Examine all windows and locks. They should all be in good working order. Use open-window safety-locks in warm weather, in case you should go out and forget to close and lock them.
05: Drill holes in window tracks 6" above lower section and install easily removable pins or nails to restrict opening. Be sure that the pins or nails, not screws, can be removed quickly from the inside, in case of fire or some other emergency.
06: Windows that have mini-blinds should also have curtains for privacy. Interior rooms are visible through the blind cord oval openings when the lights are on inside, even with the blinds closed.
07: Examine exterior lighting. There should be at least a minimum of 60-watts lighting over every door. Floodlights with motion detectors should possibly be mounted on opposite corners of your home and over your garage. One could even be mounted protecting your backyard area.
08: Examine exterior shrubs and bushes. The height should be below window level to avoid creating hiding places for burglars. Examine trees from your street, they should be above windows and away from doors.
09: Never leave your home unlocked, even when you are working in your yard. Be sure that all doors that you cannot see are locked. Be sure to change your locks whenever you move into a new home.
10: Whenever you are planning a vacation, do not talk about when you are leaving or returning in public places. Your conversation may be overheard by a stranger and someone could follow you home to find out where you live.
11: Do not leave your car running with the car keys in you vehicle, even for a moment because, your vehicle can be very quickly stolen, and now the thief could also possibly have your house keys too.
12: Really get to know your neighbors well. They are your very first line of defense should you ever need help immediately. Report any strange and suspicious people or activities to the police, rather than, investigate on your own.
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