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Home safe home: New technology and common sense can keep burglars away [St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.](St. Joseph News-Press (MO) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jan. 18--The bad news: Burglaries are up 25 percent from a year ago in St. Joseph. And nationally, there are 8,600 break-ins a day -- one every 13 seconds, according to FBI statistics. The good news: You can do something about it. Thanks to advancements in technology, there now are affordable options that a decade ago were generally available to only the wealthy. By combining these technologies with a few basic, common-sense precautions, you can greatly reduce your chances of being victimized by crime. SAFE AND WIRELESS "Everybody can afford an alarm system today," says Robert Siciliano, security expert to Home Security Source and author of "The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert, How to Take Control of Personal Security and Prevent Fraud." And, he says, alarm systems are easier to use and more efficient and effective than ever before. "Wireless technology has made it very easy and inexpensive to install," he says. For less than $200, you can buy LaserShield Systems' "Plug & Go," which includes a master alarm unit, wireless motion detector and two keychain remotes. The master alarm is up and running minutes after you plug it into a telephone jack and standard wall unit. Or for about $250, GE has the Smart Home IntelliCorder Motion Activated Digital Door Peephole. It allows you to see who is at the door before you open it. It is also a motion-activated recorder that allows you to see who came to your door even when you were away. Forget to lock your door? Homeowners using Kwikset SmartCode with Home Connect can use a Web-enabled cell phone, the Internet or home automation/security touch panel to lock or unlock the door, check the door lock status, automatically arm/disarm the security system and receive text notification when someone has entered. Depending on the house size, a home alarm system installed for you will cost from $800 to $1,200, says Gene Lager, owner of Xtreme Electronics, a St. Joseph company that handles residential and commercial security installations. LOCK UP Locking your door would seem to be a no brainer, but unsecured doors, garages and windows are the most common ways burglars enter homes in St. Joseph, says Richard Ketchem, crime prevention sergeant with the St. Joseph Police Department. "Locks only work if you use them," Sgt. Ketchem says. So keep them locked, day and night. According to the FBI, 51 percent of break-ins occur during daylight. A deadbolt lock and a good, solid door are essential, but how the door is installed is also key. "You seldom see a door fail; it's almost always the frame," Sgt. Ketchem says. "On the strike side, you have two small screws going into plywood or a piece of pine. That's what fails." If you have the standard one-inch screws, replace them with three-inch, he says, then run them all the way through the frame and over into the actual 2x4 framing of the house. Structurally, it's stronger, he says. The same applies for the screws on your door hinges. Sgt. Ketchem suggests checking with your local police department to see what else you can do. The St. Joseph Police Department offers free security surveys for both homes and businesses. They also have an online security survey to use on your own (www.stjoepd.info/Home_security_info.pdf). The bottom line is that a burglar could break into any home given enough time and force, but it is less likely to be yours if you make it difficult to do. Most burglars won't spend more than 60 seconds trying to get in. "Let's be honest," Sgt. Ketchem says, "If they weren't kind of lazy people, they would be going to work every day." For information on arranging a security survey, contact the Police Department Support Services Division at 271-4882 or 236-1473. Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson can be reached at [email protected]. To see more of the St. Joseph News-Press or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.stjoenews-press.com/. Copyright (c) 2010, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |