More Ways to Deter Burglars

Today’s column was about four kinds of burglars:

• The carpe diem
• The smash-and-dash
• The prowler
• The professional

I’d like to talk about some of the ways burglars get in, and how we can deter them.

Burglars look for signs of neglect or absence. That means lawns that haven’t been mowed, mailboxes that have more than one day’s mail, lights that remain on for days, and darkened houses. So the first thing to do is to make your home look occupied. How can you do this?

Leave lights on when you go out. The easiest thing to do is purchases inexpensive timers and connect them to some of your lamps. Have them kick on at different times throughout the evening, and make sure they are off during the day.

Consider leaving music playing when you are gone. I leave soft music or the television on even in hotel rooms so that it seems like I am in the room.

Use good outdoor lighting – motion sensitive for back yards or darker areas. Trim the trees and shrubs regularly so that they cannot be used for hiding. Consider forming a neighborhood watch group with your area

Secure your home

• Look at the outside: what would a burglar find inviting?
• Make sure the hinges on the doors are on the inside. Burglars can remove the pins – and the door – if they are on the outside.
• If you have just purchased the house or if any keys go missing, change all the locks immediately.
• Use curtains over all windows
• Change out any locks that are push-button type
• Use security locks on sliding glass doors.
• Put away tempting items like show blowers, lawn mowers, expensive barbecue grills, and bicycles.
• Keep the garage door closed and locked at all times.
• Lock all outside doors and windows, even if you are only leaving for a few minutes.

If you go out of town
Ask the Post office and newspaper to hold delivery, or have a friend pick them up.
Arrange to have the lawn mowed and other items cared for so that it seems as if you are at home. One friend always schedules small maintenance, like painting the outside trim on her house, while she’s away. Tell as few people as possible that you are going out of town.

Be careful out there!

Home Safety

For the past two weeks, I have been writing about ways to prevent your home from being burglarized. I wanted to share a letter I received from a reader. He's a certified locksmith, and I only quoted a small part of his letter in my Times-News column:

I read your article. Thank You! As an FBI cleared Locksmith 11/04/1987 I am aware Certified Locksmiths have generally neglected the Residential and Commerical Lock security sector, The most I communicated with were caught up in the automotive sector of unlocking vehicles,that of VATS and now Passkey III primarily because of the service industry even though locksmith was and still is considered a manufacturing,sales and installation skilled trade since this trade deals with working on locks and generating keys per the numerical combination of the pin drops,safe locks and yes now the digital age. We must also conform with ADA not personal convenience.

However, several things I'd like to point out. According to ANSI which dictates the way locks are designed and used we can't go strictly digital for a reason. There must be a a key override in the event the electronic system fails.

ADA and the NFC which every Bonafide Locksmith is required to know also speaks of no barriers in transportation egress emergency or normal for the legal owners,renters,occupants then outlines how doors and their hardware are to be installed. Example: Class II doors are outside residential doors which require a Class II locking device,not a Quickset 400TAL which is Class III, including the keyway which is a KW1. As my instructor in Kansas City,MO stated.

You may ask what's the difference.The class II is designed and made to resist break or kick inn to a greater extent than the class III. The key to a Class II isn't composite meaning: one or more lock manufacturers use the same keyway. Examples of a Class II key would be SchlageC or A, Russwin, Corbin,Sargent,Greenleaf. A Class III is designed for inside use only. The First digital Lock Was Quickset Access One with a Class III keyway being Titan KW10.Reason six pin offset first pin from bow to tip keyway. More secure? Still CLass III keyway since the kw10 was adopted from the KW1 5 pin composite.. All it had going for it was one million rolling combinations in it's battery powered microprocessor.

What do I recommend other than window locks,Solar security lighting, and solid steel doors. Class II Double cylinder deadbolts for door with windows, and a holy oil annoyed Pray cloth and annoyed the doors from church since I know Jesus is the master guard over all.

There are Manual Non-Electric Outside Wall Mountable four Digit Combination Changeable Key Security Boxes that can be purchased. HPC Made them just like they made a many of the picks and other tools I have tested and used since graduating. They are Heavy Steel Constructed.

Why don't I retail them? Their Cost. Scott County is SSA/SSI, and they still will preach locks are just to keep honest people honest. Which is very true.


Respectfully,
Willie Ray Bowen