Tips for avoiding home break-ins
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Many Midstate families will head out of town in the coming weeks for spring break or summer vacation.
It’s a time when your home can become a vulnerable target for burglars.
News4 is taking a look at ways to better protect your property and your loved ones.
Burglars strike every 30 seconds, according to the FBI.
Metro Police Officer Torian Cox showed key security steps to keep those burglars at bay.
No flip switches on doors. Cox said use double cylinder key locks instead.
“There’s a film that you can get that’s a burglar-resistant film you can put over your windows. It doesn’t have to be tinted,” Cox said.
Shatterproof film for glass windows and doors is available online beginning at about $15 on Amazon.
For your lower-level floors, glass breakage alarms can be critical.
“If somebody breached this glass, the alarm would go ahead and alert and in the time of someone trying to break into your home, every second counts,” Cox said.
One key mistake people make involved the door that goes to their garage. They will come inside, shut the door and never lock it.
For sliding doors, place a piece of wood inside the track.
Outside, use thick locks on all gates and be mindful of loose landscaping bricks or wood.
“Try to get rid of anything that can become a weapon, a potential weapon that they can use to break the glass at your home,” Cox said.
If you want professional monitoring, but only want it for a few days or a week, there are options through companies like Abode.
“We created what we call our On Demand monitoring which allows people to consume monitoring, the professional monitoring for three- and seven-day increments,” Abode CEO Chris Carney said.
All ways to help protect you, your loved ones and home sweet home.
“We’re not asking you to live in fear, but we just want you to be aware, be mindful of everything that’s going on around you,” Cox said.
Cox said if you’re going on vacation, you can call police and request increased patrol or even a site survey where they point out safety concerns for your home.
He also reminds everyone to know your neighbors and have them keep an eye out for anything unusual.
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