SECURITY : Reinforce Home to Deter Burglars

In this day of high crime statistics, home security is becoming more of an important consideration. It’s a fact of life that there is no foolproof way to prevent burglary. If a thief wants to get in badly enough, he or she probably will, even if your doors are made of solid steel.

However, the more you increase the risk to the potential intruder, the less tempting a target your home will be.

Most burglars follow a pattern. First, they like to operate without forced entry. Burglars also like to strike when they think your home is unoccupied.

A thief looks for signs that you’re away: a dark or quiet interior, unretrieved mail, an empty driveway, an un-mowed lawn or interior lights that remain either on or off for many hours at a time.

Burglars need to work quickly. They know the more time it takes to break in, the greater the odds of being caught.

Here’s how to fight back: Use a remote-control timer (available at hardware and home center outlets) to turn your home’s lights and appliances, such as the TV, on and off at irregular intervals. This gives your home an occupied look. If you go on vacation, have a neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers.

Replace any hollow-core exterior doors with solid-core wood doors at least 1 3/4-inch thick or a metal door. Use a deadbolt lock and a properly mounted strike plate.

Doors with glass panes often attract a thief’s attention. To prevent him from breaking the glass, reaching in and opening the door from the inside, secure the door with a double-keyed deadbolt lock (one that’s opened with a key from both inside and outside).

Sliding glass patio doors may also attract a burglar because many have flimsy locks.

Here are three ways to reinforce this area: First, insert a length of pipe in the track to prevent door movement in case the lock is removed. Second, to prevent the door from being lifted off its track, install several large screws with their heads protruding in the grooved section of track above the door when it’s closed. You’ll be able to remove them from the inside by opening the door, but a burglar won’t. Finally, install a second patio lock (about $10) on the sliding panel of the door.

Windows are another weak link in your home’s defenses. Nearly all windows are accessible to burglars, especially the first floor, basement and those near balconies and fire escapes. Take these precautions:

Double-hung windows should be locked with a keyed sash lock with a large, protected latch area. Basement windows should be secured with grills or bars with a safety latch for inside opening. Windows with air conditioners should be secured by fastening to the sill or window frame.

Alarm systems range in sophistication (and price) from do-it-yourself kits that activate a siren or lights, to professionally installed systems that may be hooked up directly to your police station or monitoring service.

These systems vary in their components and subsystems, but some of the high-end setups use perimeter sensors on doors and windows, designed to sound an alarm before an intruder has entered your home.

They also have infrared interior sensors that detect changes in heat radiation, and sense the body heat of a person entering the protected area.