Protecting Your Home - Burglary Prevention
Checklist for Homes
This
checklist is designed to help you make a security check of your own home. The
purpose of a home security inspection is to identify features in your home
or daily routines of your family which might make your home an easy target
for a burglar. The security inspection should begin at your front door;
include an inspection of all your doors and windows, locks, lights and
landscaping.
Doors
Are all outside doors in the house of metal or solid wood construction? Yes Yes
Are all door frames strong enough and tight enough to prevent forcing or
spreading? Yes Yes
Are door hinges protected from removal from outside? Yes Yes
Are there windows in any door or within 40 inches of the locks? Yes Yes
Are all door locks adequate and in good repair? Yes Yes
Are strikes and strike plates adequate and property installed? Yes Yes
Can the locking mechanism be reached through a mail slot, delivery port or
a pet entrance at doorway? Yes Yes
Is there a screen or storm door with an adequate lock: Yes Yes
Are all entrances lighted with at least a 40 watt light? Yes Yes
Can front entrance be observed from street or public areas? Yes Yes
Does porch or landscaping offer concealment from view from street or public
areas? Yes Yes
If there is a sliding glass door, is the sliding panel secured from being
lifted out of the track? Yes Yes
Is "charley-bar" or key operated auxiliary lock used on sliding
glass door? Yes Yes
Entrances from Garage and Basement
Are all entrances to living quarters from basement of metal or solid wood? Yes Yes
Does door from garage to living quarters have locks adequate for exterior
entrance? Yes Yes
Windows
Do all windows have adequate locks in
operating condition? Yes Yes
Do windows have screens or storm windows that lock from inside? Yes Yes
Do any windows open onto areas that may be hazardous or offer special risk
to burglary? Yes Yes
Do windows that open to hazardous areas have security screens or grills? Yes Yes
Are exterior areas to windows free from concealing structure or landscaping?
Yes Yes
Is exterior adequately lighted at all window areas? Yes Yes
Are trees and shrubbery kept trimmed back from upper floor windows? Yes Yes
Are ladders kept outside the house where they are accessible? Yes Yes
Basement Doors and Windows
Is there a door from outside to the basement? Yes Yes
If so, is that door adequately secure for an exterior door? Yes Yes
Is outside basement entrance lighted by exterior light of at least 40
watts? Yes Yes
Is outside basement door concealed from street or neighbors? Yes Yes
Are all basement windows adequately secured against entry? Yes Yes
Garage Doors
and Windows
Is automobile entrance door to garage equipped with adequate locking
device? Yes Yes
Is garage door kept closed and locked at all times? Yes Yes
Are garage windows secured adequately for ground floor windows? Yes Yes
Is outside utility entrance to garage as secure as required for any ground
floor entrance? Yes Yes
Are tools and ladders kept in garage? Yes Yes
Are all garage doors lighted on the outside by at least a 40 watt light? Yes Yes
How to Keep Burglars
Out - Points to Remember
1. Garages - Should be as secure as any other area of the house because:
A. They often contain ladders and tools which
could be helpful to a burglar.
B. Attached garages provide visual cover for
a burglary.
2. House Number - Should be clearly displayed front and back.
3. Lights - Exterior flood lights (front and back) and over garage are
recommended. Interior-timed lighting devices should be utilized when not at
home.
4. Basement Windows - Often overlooked by homeowners, basement windows
should be secured to prevent forcing. Window locks should not be vulnerable
if the glass is broken. Screening materials can be used effectively on
these window wells or on window framing.
5. Doors - Solid core wood doors with rugged frames that cannot spread
apart with a pry bar are recommended.
6. Door Locks - Quality dead bolt locks having a minimum 1-inch throw are
recommended. These should be mounted so one cannot open the door after
breaking a window. Mounting the lock low on the door can some- times
eliminate this problem. In other cases, a double cylinder lock will solve
the problem.
7. Shrubs - Should be kept low enough so as not to block possible points of
entry or to conceal a potential attacker.
8. Windows - Glass is most vulnerable to attack. Fortunately, many burglars
are reluctant to break windows because of noise and because windows are
often visible from the street or from neighboring dwellings. Windows hidden
from view must be most securely protected!
