• Even if you are only leaving for a few minutes arm your security system

• Even if you are only leaving for a few minutes close your garage door

• Place outside lighting so that it can not easily be broken or unscrewed

• When leaving the home lock all doors and windows

• Keep the outside of your home well lit

• Consider installing motion triggered flood lights

• Keep bushes and shrubbery well trimmed

• Plant thorny bushes below windows

• Replace entry doors with solid wood or metal doors

• Install quality, heavy duty dead bolts

• For doors with windows install a double keyed dead bolt (keep in mind this can be a fire hazard make sure everyone in the home knows where the key is kept and always keep it in the same location).

• Keep valuables out of sight

• Photograph, inventory, and keep serial numbers on valuables

• Consider a home safe

• Lock up tools

• Keep ladders out of your yard

• Trim limbs that may provide access to your home

• Don't hide spare keys in obvious locations

• Never mark your keys (house key, car key, key to safe, etc.)

• Get to know your neighbors

• Set up community watch groups

• Report suspicious activity

• Make sure your street number is visible from the road

• Place your security yard sign so that is visible from the road

• Only give your security code to people that you trust  

When On Vacation

• Put lights on timers

• Have your mail and newspapers picked up by a trusted friend or relative

• Have trusted neighbors keep an eye on your home

• Do not leave notes or greetings on your answering machine indicating that you will be gone from home for an extended amount of time.

• If temporary numbers need to be added to your call list to reach you while you are away. Notify our monitoring station at 1-800-286-5699. For changes that need to be made for longer than eight days contact our office at 919-774-3005.