• Always lock your vehicle.
• Remove the keys from the ignition and take them with you
• Never hide a spare key on or in your vehicle
• Roll up you windows completely
• Park in well-lighted areas
• If you have a garage, use it
• Lock your garage door
• If parked near your house, leave exterior lights on or install motion lighting
• Do not leave valuables in sight to tempt a thief
• Mount valuable items such as CD/tape decks, CB radios, or car phones inconspicuously.
• Consider adding a car alarm system or using other anti-theft mechanisms, such as "The Club"
• Never leave your car running while it is unattended

Note: Please report any suspicious activity to the police promptly. If your vehicle was broken into, report the incident, even if you decide not to report it to your insurance company. We need your assistance to determine what areas are experiencing vehicle break-in activity.

Protecting Your Home: General Knowledge and Maintenance

Appearance
Whether you are home or not, keep your home neat and clean, and in good working order, giving your home the appearance that someone is home. The appearance that someone is home and is attentive to the condition of their property is an excellent deterrent to would-be criminals

• If you or your family plan on leaving your home for an extended period of time

• Lock all doors and windows

• Ask a neighbor or friend to keep the lawn mowed/snow shoveled

• Have them check mail and pick up any newspapers that might accumulate at your front door

• Consider purchasing a timer for your interior lighting

• Anyone removing car accessories, license plates, or gasoline.
• Anyone peering into parked cars.
• Apparent business transactions conducted from a vehicle.
• Anyone loitering around schools, parks, secluded areas, or on the street.
• Any vehicle moving slowly and without lights or following an apparently aimless course.
• The sound of breaking glass or loud banging noises.
• Someone testing doors to see if they are locked or checking side and back doors.

Think Like a Thief
Consider how a criminal might attack you, your home, or your belongings. Take a second look at your home and property and look for any weak points. Then take steps to strengthen or eliminate any of those weak points.

Mark Your Property
Consider marking your valuables as yours. This can be done with tools such as engravers or even a permanent ink pen. Doing this not only increases the theft deterrent value but also can help in the recovery of items in the event they were ever stolen.

Keep an inventory of valuables including any serial numbers, a description, and their value (include receipts of purchase whenever possible.) Store this inventory in a safe and secure place. In the event of a theft or other type of loss, having an inventory will provide you with the information you need to make a police report and/or an insurance claim.

• Walkways and landscaping should direct visitors to the proper entrance and away from private areas.

• All doorways that open to the outside should be well lit (Either constant or motion activated lighting is sufficient.)

• The front door should be at least partially visible from the street.

• Windows on all sides of the house provide full visibility of the property.

• Properly maintained landscaping provides maximum viewing to and from the house: Plants should be trimmed so that they are not any higher than the sills of the windows; Plants should not create places of concealment, especially near entrances and at/under bedroom windows.

• Your street address should be clearly visible from the street with NUMBERS a minimum of five inches high.

Equipment

• Exterior doors should be solid-core wood or metal doors.
• Exterior doors should be hinged on the inside and should have a single cylinder dead bolt lock.
• Interior doors that connect a garage to a building should have a single cylinder dead bolt lock.
• Door locks should be located a minimum of 40 inches from adjacent windows (if the window was smashed in, the average person would be unable to reach through to unlock the door with their arm.)
• All windows should have locks.
• Sliding glass doors should have one permanent door on the outside; the inside moving door should have a locking device and a pin or stop bar.

Apartment and Rental Concerns
Keep in mind that you must have permission from the landlord/owner to make permanent changes to the property!

• Is the address prominently displayed?
• Is the area neat and clean?
• Are plants neatly trimmed so there is a clear view of the area?
• Is there a dead bolt lock on every outside door?
• Are the outside doors solid-core wood or metal doors with interior hinge pins?
• Is there a door viewer?
• Does the landlord know how many keys are out to your door or are they willing to re-key the lock? Who has access to your key?
• Are there locks on all windows? Do they work?
• If there is an attic to your unit, where is the access to it?
• If there is a patio door, are there security/locking devices in place?