THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 6, 1995 TAG: 9510040196
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 11 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Officers from the Chesapeake Police Department's crime prevention unit will visit your home for free and give you an idea of how secure you are. Just call them at 543-0142. Things they might tell you:
Prune the low-hanging limbs from trees near the house
Trim bushes so windows are visible to neighbors
Avoid installing tall fences, which may shield burglars from view
Lock up ladders and other tools
Consider that trellises might help a burglar climb to an upper-story window
Light porches and other entrances
Keep house numbers clearly visible for police and other emergency workers
Make sure entry doors are made of metal or solid-core wood, at least 1 3/4 inches thick
Check to see that doors fit the door frame tightly, with no more than 1/8-inch clearance
Install peepholes on entrance doors
Install metal grilles to cover vulnerable windows and glass or plastic panels on entry doors
On sliding doors, use only locks designed specifically for them; consider purchasing a bracket made especially for sliding doors, to keep them from being forced open
Make sure no door or window hinges are on the outside of the house, where they can be unscrewed easily
Use dead-bolt door locks
Make sure sheds, workshops and garages are sturdily constructed
Never carry identification tags on your key chain
Don't hide keys outside the house - burglars know where to look
Change the locks when moving to a new home
Consider installing an alarm system, if you think your home needs more protection
Mark possessions with your name or Social Security number using an electric engraving pen; the Police Department's crime prevention unit has engravers to loan, and will supply window stickers to alert burglars that the home's belongings are easily identified; call 543-0142
Keep daily routines and vacation schedules confidential
Make sure valuables are not visible through windows
Don't allow strangers to enter your home to use the telephone
Wrong numbers or telephone surveys may be used by burglars to ``case'' your home
Avoid listing your name or address in newspaper advertisements
On the day of a funeral or wedding, have a sitter in your home
While on vacation, have a friend pick up mail and newspapers, or stop deliveries; turn down the telephone sound, so a burglar cannot hear it ringing inside
If your home appears to have been broken into, don't go inside; call the police
Sources: Chesapeake Police Department and a Rollins Protective Services company brochure, ``40 Ways to Crimeproof Your Home!'' reprinted from a U.S. Department of Justice publication
KEYWORDS: BURGLARY CHESAPEAKE by CNB