~ HOME & APARTMENT SAFETY ~



Aggravated assault accounted for
64% of the violent crimes in 1998. About 38% of all assaults occur during a
home invasion.



You can minimize the chances
that your home or apartment will be broken into by following these
recommendations.



HOME SAFETY



• Keep your doors and windows locked. And teach
your children the importance of keeping them locked.



• All doors in your home leading to the
outside should have deadbolt locks with one-inch throws.



• Change your locks if there is even a
small chance that someone else, like a previous owner, could have a key.



• Do not hide a spare key over the door,
under the doormat or flowerpot or in a mail slot.



• Secure your sliding glass doors with
pins, or with metal rods placed in the tracks.



• Your garage door should have a padlock.



• Install a wide-angle viewer (peephole).



• Make sure that your doors and windows are
easily visible from the street, and by your neighbors. Decorative hedges can
allow a thief to enter a window undetected. Instead, plant thorny bushes under
all the windows.



• Make sure that the area around your house
is well lit.



• Get a dog, or at the very least, put up a
"Beware of the Dog" sign.



• Consider investing in a security system.



• Have a telephone or cellular phone in
your home and make sure the cellular phone is always charged.



• Always answer the phone with a simple
"hello". Do not give out any personal information.



• If you receive a threatening phone call,
put the receiver down beside the telephone and walk away. Replace it a few
minutes later. Do not attempt to reply to the caller. If the calls continue,
notify the police and the telephone company.



• Never open an exterior door without first
making certain who is outside.



• If a suspicious person(s) comes to your
home and tries to enter do not open the door. Call 911 and request police
assistance.



• Draw your curtains after dark when
interior lighting makes it easier to see inside.



• Always leave exterior lights on when you
do not expect to return home during day light hours.



• Always make sure a dependable person
knows where you are and when you expect to return.



When leaving on a trip:



• Stop all deliveries.



• Don't leave notes advertising your
absence.



• Use a timer for lamp or radio to give
your home an occupied sound or look.



• Never leave a message on your answering
machine indicating you are not at home. A safe message would be: "We are
unavailable at the moment, but please leave a message and we will return your
call. Pre-recorded messages may be purchased at electronic sales stores.



• Notify the police and have a neighbor
check your home periodically.



• Have someone maintain your lawn.



Upon your return (at any time):



• Learn the location of local and state
police department buildings.



• Always visually inspect the area around
your home prior to getting out of the car.



• If you see a suspicious person(s) lurking
around your home and you are in your car drive to the nearest police
department.



• If someone gives you a ride home, ask him
or her to watch and make sure you get safely inside before they drive away.



• If you see signs of a break-in, do not
enter. The burglar may be inside. Go to a neighbor's house and call the police.



In
addition:



• Be a
concerned neighbor. If you see a suspicious person, car, or situation, contact
the police.



Remember!


If
someone tries to rob you, do
not resist. Give up your
property, and report the crime to the police as soon as it is safe to do so.







- APARTMENT SAFETY -



In addition to many of the tips found above
in the Home Safety section, those listed below apply specifically to apartment
living.



• Do not permit strangers to enter the
building when you are leaving or entering. The main entrance is a critical
area for security.



• Never "buzz' anyone into the building
unless you know them. Refer strangers to the manager.



• Report suspicious strangers, sounds, or
actions to police immediately. Then notify the manager and neighbors.



• Women should not list their full names,
only their initials at the door. (e.g. M. Smith rather than Mary Smith.)



• If your unit has a security alarm, turn
it on each night before going to bed and each time you leave.



• Go with a neighbor to use the laundry
room in your building.



• If you leave for any extended period of
time. Notify the building manager.



In apartment living you are in a community
of strangers under one roof. You can greatly enhance your safety by calling a
crime prevention specialist who will facilitate meetings in your building to
develop common security strategies. Getting to know the other tenants in your
apartment complex is important for mutual safety.



Remember!


If
someone tries to rob you, do
not resist. Give up your
property, and report the crime to the police as soon as it is safe to do so.