Home Security: About Home Safety

  • According to the FBI, a burglary occurs every 15 seconds. (1)
  • A home without a security or alarm system is 2 to 3 times more likely to be burglarized. (2)
  • More than 60% of residential burglaries took place during the day between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (1)
  • 90% of police believe monitored home alarm systems deter break-in attempts. (3)
  • Nine out of ten convicted burglars agree they'd avoid a house protected by a home alarm system. (4)
  • In 2008, there were an estimated 2,222,196 burglaries—an increase of 2.0 percent when compared with 2007 data. (5)
  • There was an increase of 3.6 percent in the number of burglaries in 2008 when compared with the 2004 estimate and an increase of 5.8 percent when compared with the 1999 estimate. (5)
  • Burglary accounted for 22.7 percent of the estimated number of property crimes committed in 2008. (5)
  • Of all burglaries, 61.2 percent involved forcible entry, 32.3 percent were unlawful entries (without force), and the remainder (6.4 percent) were forcible entry attempts. (5)
  • Victims of burglary offenses suffered an estimated $4.6 billion in lost property in 2008; overall, the average dollar loss per burglary offense was $2,079. (5)
  • Burglaries of residential properties accounted for 70.3 percent of all burglary offenses. (5)

      1. Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2006 National Crime Report.
      2. Simon Hakim, Temple University.
      3. International Association of Chiefs of Police.
      4. ADT Security Systems, Inc.
      5. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States, 2008

 

 

Home Safety Tips:

  • If you suspect someone is following you (either on foot or by car), don’t go home. Go to a trusted neighbor or a public place, such as a gas station or convenience store, to call police.
  • Have working lights at all entrances to your home.
  • Use deadbolt locks on doors and windows.
  • Trim bushes away from windows and doors, so intruders have nowhere to hide.
  • Use bushes and shrubs with thorns under windows.
  • Use timers to turn lights and radios on when you are not home. Use a system that allows for random settings if possible. Noise and light will help keep intruders away.
  • Stop mail and newspaper delivery when you are out of town.
  • Do not use your first name on your mailbox or in the phone directory. Use your first initial instead.
  • Check who is at the door before opening it, and do not open the door to a stranger or unexpected visitor.
  • If someone you don’t know asks to use your phone, do not let him or her into your home. Offer to make the call for them.
  • Don’t hide extra keys in accessible places. Criminals know where to look for extra keys. Leave an extra key with a family member or trusted neighbor instead.
  • Don’t include identifying information such as a name or address on a key chain.
  • Know which of your neighbors you can trust in an emergency.
  • Never give personal information to telephone solicitors.
  • Make sure exterior doors are solid wood, fiberglass or steel, not hollow core.
  • Make sure exterior door hinges are on the inside, so that a criminal cannot remove the pins and pull the door out of the frame.
  • Secure sliding glass doors with a bolt lock.
  • Most home burglaries occur during the day, so be in the habit of locking doors and windows whenever you leave home.
  • Close your garage door, and do not leave valuables or keys in your vehicle.
  • Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong or suspicious, check it out.
  • Install motion-detecting floodlights outside your home. Mount them high enough so they cannot be easily disabled.
  • If there is a Neighborhood Watch Program in your community, join it. If not, start one.
  • Get to know your neighbors.
  • Report any suspicious persons or vehicles to your local police.
  • Burglars may scan newspapers for wedding and funeral announcements or other events that may take you away from home. Ask a trusted friend to house sit.
  • Make an inventory of valuables in your household and store it somewhere other than your home, such as in a safe deposit box. Take pictures and make a video as well, storing the information with your written inventory.
  • Ask for I.D. from service representatives who come to your home, and if they don't have it, check with their company to verify identity before letting them in.
  • When vacationing, leave a car in your driveway, or arrange for a neighbor to keep a car there and move it around from time to time.
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$99.00 Customer Installation Charge. 36-Month Monitoring Agreement required at $35.99 per month ($1,295.64). Form of payment must be by credit card or electronic charge to your checking or savings account. Offer applies to homeowners only. Local permit fees may be required. Satisfactory credit history required. Certain restrictions may apply. Offer valid for new ADT Authorized Dealer customers only and not on purchases from ADT Security Services, Inc. Other rate plans available. Cannot be combined with any other offer.