Lock Doors and Windows to Keep Your Home Secure

Close to 34% of all burglaries in the U.S. were filed as unlawful entries in 2012, meaning entrance did not require force. Unlocked doors, windows and garages were among the main causes.

Don’t make your home susceptible to theft on the mere technicality that you have not locked entrance points. Keep your home secure with the following tips.

Lock Up—Always

“Come on in!” That is the message you send to lurking intruders when doors, windows and other entry points are left unlocked. Make a habit of locking your home’s many entry points when out or asleep. This includes those on the second and third floor. What may seem like an impossible entry point to you may be just what an intruder is seeking.

Talk with all occupants of the house to ensure they know the need and value of locking and securing doors and windows—even if they will just be away for a few moments.

Check That Locks Work

Worse yet, you may think you’ve secured your home, but faulty locks could be to blame for an increased risk of unlawful entry. Survey your home, double-checking that locks are working correctly. Repair any defects found.

Help Reduce False Alarms

Neglecting to lock your doors and windows not only puts you and your family at unnecessary risk, but it also contributes to pesky false alarms. False alarms are a nuisance to you, the police department and your home security monitoring center.

In a memo to Vector Security, Dan Gregory, City of Mansfield Alarm Ordinance Administrator, Safety-Service Division said: “While analyzing false alarms for almost three years, I have noticed one increasing cause is unsecure doors. This category could mean either responding officers found an unlocked door or an open door upon arrival on site. An alarm system is no substitution for properly securing a home or building.”

Help reduce false alarms by properly locking up before activating your security system.