Now that the winter holiday season is here, I am wondering about the best ways to keep my home safe from burglars while I'm away shopping, attending parties, visiting with friends and family or taking a winter vacation.
"Everybody loves a pretty Christmas tree but we're recommending you don't put your tree in front of a big window," says Michelle Hill, public affairs liaison with the Little Rock Police Department. "Those would-be criminals are going to do Christmas shopping through your windows, look in at the tree, and see what gifts you have."
Also make sure to close window blinds by nightfall, she advises. "With the sun going down earlier in the evening, we might be out a little later shopping and might forget to do this. Criminals sit out on the dark street and look into our bright windows and look at the electronics, the TV ...."
Make sure that all windows and doors are in plain view, she suggests. "Not just for the police patrolling by but also for the neighbors," she says. She also says things like neighborhood watch groups, Facebook pages or some sort of a neighborhood group where members can keep in touch can help keep a neighborhood safer.
"There's no such thing as a nosy neighbor anymore now, it's just good neighbors," Hill says. "We want people to be able to see the doors and windows and if the shrubs are up too high, we're not going to be able to." She also advises neighbors and homeowners to make note of anything that appears to have been tampered with and report it to the police.
"When it comes to trash cans and decorations for holidays, be very mindful of those types of things by the front door and back doors or in a carport area or by the garage," she says. "That can also be a hiding place for some would-be criminal. We want those items to be very minimal."
It's also crucial to keep the exterior of the house well lighted at all times, and when you're going to be out of town make sure someone will be collecting the newspapers and the mail so it doesn't accumulate and signal to passers-by that no one is at home.
"We offer a vacation home report," Hill says of the Police Department's free service of checking on houses when the owners are out of town. Residents can request the service by calling the department's nonemergency number (311) and providing the dates they'll be away.
"We check on the home during all three patrol shifts; the officers get out of the car, check doors and windows and make sure the home is secure," she says.
Residents outside of Little Rock should check with their local police departments to see if a similar service is available in their area.
Here are some relevant tips from the Little Rock Police Department:
• Have lights on all entrances.
• Always keep doors locked, including garage doors and the door between the house and the garage.
• Replace standard screws in door locks and deadbolt sets with 3-inch screws.
• Check who is at the door before opening it. Do not open the door to a stranger.
• Always make the home look as though someone is there by using light timers or leaving a TV or radio playing.
• Do not put your name on your mailbox.
• Do not leave your schedule on your voice mail or social media.
• Lock backyard gates.
• Post "Beware of Dog" signs on fence/gates or in windows.
• Use dummy cameras if possible (great for carport areas).
• Post an alarm company sign in the yard.
• Keep all valuables out of view of any windows.
• Never give personal information over the phone.
• Shred all confidential mail.
• Do inventory of your home and list all belongings' serial numbers and model numbers. One option is to do it online at reportit.leadsonline.com.
• Place house numbers so they are easily visible from the street.
• Keep attic doors in the carport area locked.
• Keep shrubs trimmed lower than your windows. Sharp-leaved shrubs, such as hollies, offer an additional deterrent to thieves.
• Lock vehicle doors.
• Remove valuables from vehicles.
• Get to know the neighbors and use neighborhood network anytime you see something suspicious, and call 911.
Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We'll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or email:
lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
HomeStyle on 11/26/2016