Neighborhood Security Tips

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Sometimes your neighbors can be very helpful when it comes to community security. With the Holidays upon us, it is very important to make sure you are taking the right precautions to ensure nobody breaks into your home. Here are some neighborhood security tips:

• Know your neighbors and exchange home and work numbers.
• Watch each others' residences, inform each other when you'll be away, and leave contact information.
• Consider leaving a key with a neighbor.
• Give neighbors alarm system information. Give security codes to anyone who is supposed to be in your house (such as your cleaning service or pet sitter) while you are away. Police spend unnecessary time responding to calls from security companies which they receive because someone inadvertently set off an alarm.
• Be aware of activities on the block and throughout the neighborhood.
• Report suspicious activities, watch for patterns, discuss events with your block captain and police.
• Call your block captain and others to introduce new neighbors.
• "Stoop sit"—be out front whenever possible.
• Make sure your skylight (and any rooftop access door) is secured.
• Keep outside lights on throughout the night—front, back, and lower landings. It reduces the atmosphere for crime by providing a lot more light on the street. If everyone participates, the illumination provided by all the additional lights will really make a difference. It also helps the police identify the right house because sometimes front house numbers are hard to find at night in the dark.
• Use timers to make your house look lived in while you're away.
• While away, ask neighbors to collect your flyers, newspapers, mail, etc. Delay delivery of mail and newspapers when possible.
• Call your local police department if you're going away on vacation—the police will watch your house.
• Trim bushes to avoid hiding places. Cut back and prune shrubs which provide hiding places for robbers and thieves, and install lights where possible.
• Report nonfunctioning street lights to the city.

Read more at Community Watch Network