Reinforcing Your Doors Security (Part 1 of 3)

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This question often comes up in my seminars “How can I completely burglar proof my home?” And the answer is tricky. There is no such thing as 100 percent security which “burglar proofing” suggests.

However burglar proofing can conceivably be achieved if you consider that most burglars don’t have the necessary wherewithal or tools to compromise some heavy duty layers of installed protection like shatter proof glass, heavy doors, security cameras, monitored home alarm system and good strong locks. And you can certainly do lots of other creative things to reduce risk.

One weakness that almost everyone has is their doors. Even with good locks, kicking in a door isn’t all that difficult. All that separates a burglar or home invader is about ¾ inch pine and the stock strike plate with ½ inch screws that comes with the deadbolt and doorknob. It’s pretty scary when you actually take a look at some of the videos these companies produce showing how easy it is to kick in a door.

There are basically 5 different kinds of door reinforcement devices:

Door knob/dead bolt wraps. These are devices that are installed on the door itself strengthening the area around the locks.

Door braces. These are usually floor mounted alloy metal devices that come in two parts. One is the horizontal floor plate screwed right in the floor and the other is a vertical plate that inserts in the floor plate tightly fit up against the door.

Door bar jammers. These are bars that fit under the doorknob and pitch to a 45 degree angle to the floor.

Strike plates. These are generally no more than 3-4 inches long and are thicker than a regular strike plate.

Door frame reinforcement: These are often made of steel and are up to 4 feet in length and are installed on the door jamb center, right over the exiting strike plates.

I’ve recently had the privilege of talking to two different companies that offer door reinforcement devices. Each has a different style brace for a different application, and both are designed to keep the bad guy out. More on those in parts 2 and 3.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Dumb Ankle Monitor Wearing Home Invader Busted

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If you ever decide to get all hopped up on drugs and seek some extra cash to feed your fix, I’d suggest not wearing your governmental department of corrections court ordered previously installed GPS ankle-monitoring bracelet to your next home invasion.  Chances are you’ll get caught.

But as tongue and cheek funny this may be, this home invader “leveled a shotgun at a young couple and their infant child.”

It’s scary to know that hardened criminals are only tethered by a “signal” and don’t care about getting caught.

Companies that provide ankle bracelets set up their products to send a signal to a GPS satellite every minute to track its location. That information is logged into a data base. If the “tracker” which could be a parole officer or law enforcement has the system set to notify them if the criminal is outside of their required boundaries, police are dispatched.

But in many situations criminals with GPS ankle bracelets can roam free. It’s only when they cut the bracelet off that a signal is sent to the devices last location.

Here are 5 tips to help keep you safe and prevent a home invasion:
1. Never talk to strangers via an open or screen door. Always talk to them through a locked door.

2. NEVER let children open the doors. Always require and adult to do it.

3. Install a home burglar alarm and keep it on 24/7/365. With a home alarm system on, when someone knocks on the door, a conscious decision has to be made to turn off the alarm. Most people will keep it on.

4. Not all home invaders knock, some break in without warning.  Just another reason to have that alarm on.

5. Install a 24-hour camera surveillance system. Cameras are a great deterrent.  Have them pointed to every door and access point.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Beware of Robo-Call Scams

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While out for an evening with friends talking about everything under the sun, including security, which I’m obsessed with – and people often quiz me anyways, my mobile rang from an “unknown” number. The caller, a computer, stated “Hello, this is a call from Eastern Bank. Your MasterCard account has been locked. Please press 1 now to unlock.” Eastern Bank is local to me.

This is hilarious because I don’t have an Eastern Bank account and I’m in the middle of a conversation with someone about identity theft. So I immediately put my phone on speaker and played the message for everyone who proceeds to look at me and then ask “whats wrong with your Mastercard?” While I’m laughing at the call, they are concerned about my card, not initially realizing this is a scam. No longer funny, this saddens me because these are intelligent people who could easily get bit by this crime.

So I had to explain that this is a “Robo-call scam” where scammers simply use free technology to call thousands of random people by telling a computer to call 555-1212 then 555-1213 in sequential order. Eventually someone is going to press 1 and enter all their credit card information and end up being compromised. 

I did a little research and Eastern Bank posted this warning that anyone from any bank should heed:

Notice of Fraudulent Phone Calls
Eastern Bank has been made aware that customers, as well as non-customers, are receiving automated calls on their cell phones with the following message:

“This is a call from Eastern Bank. Your MasterCard account has been locked. Please press 1 now to unlock.”

The recording then instructs the individual to enter their debit card number. There may also be a variation of this phone call that references other banks or asks the customer to enter their debit card number in order to activate it.

Please hang up and do not press 1.

Please be advised that these calls are a scam and are not being made by Eastern Bank.  This is a phishing attempt by criminals to obtain your personal account information.  Never provide your debit card number or any other private information in response to an unsolicited phone call or email.

REMEMBER: Eastern Bank will NEVER ask you for any private information (such as account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers) through an unsolicited email or phone call.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures

Daylight Back to Back Burglaries In Same Town

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Most people think that burglaries happen at night, in the dark when burglars can creep undetected. But the reality is most burglaries happen during the day when you are at work. Burglars work too, in the day, 9-5, like you. This is why a home security alarm is so important.

In Warwick Rhode Island police are on the lookout for someone who forced their way into two homes that apparently didn’t have home security systems. Why in 2011 someone doesn’t have an alarm that sends a shrieking siren and calls the police is just mind boggling to me. Anyway the burglars apparently spent a significant amount of time there because they turned everything upside down and were able to steal “large quantities of jewelry, laptops and other electronic equipment from the properties.”

The statement “large quantities of jewelery, laptops and other electronic equipment” is further distressing because these people were naïve enough to believe they wouldn’t be targeted and didn’t even have the sensibility to get a safe!

In one instance the burglars broke a window near a door and were able to reach inside and get a key that was in the lock! Anyone that has a door surrounded by glass should invest in a window film glass protecting product called “Shattergard” that makes it difficult for a bad guy to simply break a window and reach in.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Burglar Hits 60 Houses in 60 Days

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Police in Morristown NJ have a prime suspect in mind which they call an “opportunist”. Sometimes the burglar breaks in by using a crowbar or breaking a window but mostly he just goes in through an unlocked door or window.

He’s going after the standard gold jewelry and laptops, stuff that’s easy to fence.

But what makes this story so interesting is the police know who he is but can’t arrest him.  The police Chief was quoted saying “This is a person who knows video surveillance very well and knows technology very well, and he does this for a living and he doesn’t want to get caught.”

The neighbors were quoted as saying stuff like “we never see a police car around” etc and the police respond by saying “the government can’t do everything anymore, the chief said. “We simply need more help from the communities we serve. Most of it is eyes and ears, and picking up the phone.”

The Chief suggested everyone pay attention and even start a neighborhood watch.

Readers of these posts know I’m all about taking personal responsibility. And while law enforcements role is to serve and protect, it is impossible to have a police car parked in every driveway. The fact that this neighborhood doesn’t even have a neighborhood watch in place is telling. These are people who simply aren’t proactive. Windows and doors are unlocked, and it seems residents don’t have home security alarms either.

But I’ll be they are installing them now.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News Live. Disclosures

 

Check Out These Hurricane Prep Apps

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Hurricane Irene whacked the east coast over two weeks ago and people are still pumping out. Roads are still messed up and life has changed for many. My property was in the path, although she went a little west of me so I was spared any damage.

But if she did head a little east I was prepared. What helped me prepare was technology. For almost a week I had sms text messages coming into my iPhone via iMapWeather Radio.

iMapWeather Radio 9.99: only app offering critical voice and text alerts on life-threatening weather events. Your iPhone will “wake up” and also “follow you” with alerts wherever you go. Listen with ease to local weather forecasts while you are on the move. Enjoy the power of a Weather Radio, with all the convenience and precision of a smart phone.

The Weather Channel FREE: Looking for the most accurate weather information available? The Weather Channel’s staff of 200+ meteorologists, along with our patented ultra-local TruPoint(sm) weather technology, allow to provide you with the weather tools you need to plan your day, week, or even the next hour.

National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center FREE: isn’t an app at all. But it is the source of all apps information. You can go to the site and save the link as “Add to Home Screen”.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing self defense on NBC Boston. Disclosures.

Nicolas Cage’s First Hand Home Invasion Experience

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Apparently Nicolas Cage at one time didn’t believe in home security systems. He recently filmed a movie called “Trespass” about thieves’ who con their way into the opulent mansion where Cage’s character lives with his unhappy wife (played by Nicole Kidman) and their daughter, Reuters reports. The tagline for the title is: “When terror is at your door, you can run, or you can fight.” I recommend running.

Cage was quoted saying “It was two in the morning. I was living in Orange County at the time and was asleep with my wife. My two-year old at the time was in another room. I opened my eyes and there was a naked man wearing my leather jacket eating a Fudgesicle in front of my bed,” he told reporters. “I know it sounds funny … but it was horrifying.”

Doesn’t sound funny to me at all. Luckily the man was capable of being talked to and Cage talked him out of the house. Police arrived and arrested him. The man was relatively harmless, he was mentally ill.

Cage was also quoted saying that after the incident he could no longer stay in that home and has since moved.

People whose homes are burglarized or homes invaded often feel a constant sense of un-ease in a home that has been violated like that. Your home is your castle and is supposed to be a place of relief, solitude, safety and security from the sometimes big, bad, ugly, world. When it’s “soiled” like that, the stink never goes away.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Celine Dions Burglar Takes a Bath

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The burglar apparently sauntered up her driveway and jiggled the door of an unlocked car in the driveway. The door was open and of course the keys were in the ignition along with the garage door opener.

This was all the burglar needed to open the door, head inside and make himself a tasty snack (pastries, I love pastry, I’m Italian you know.). Meanwhile as he’s munching away he drew himself a nice warm bubble bath. I’ll bet Celine Dion has nice bubbles and a nicer bath. Must be as big as my whole first floor.

Celine actually had a home alarm, but apparently it doesn’t have a siren, I don’t know. Or maybe the burglar was hard of hearing.

A monitored home security system can be as little as $99.00 installed then a dollar a day for monitoring. Celine Dion probably makes $99.00 in a matter of seconds when she’s headlining and performing at the Coliseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

For the short money that a home alarm costs, she should have one that has a siren. Ya think?

Fortunately for the Dion’s, they were traveling. If you travel away from your home:

  • Don’t leave your keys in your unlocked car in your driveway.
  • Use timers on indoor and outdoor lights.
  • Let a trusted neighbor and the police know you are traveling.
  • Unplug garage door openers.
  • If grass is still growing where you live and if you’re gone for a bit have a landscaper mow your lawn.
  • Don’t share your travel plans on social media or on a voicemail outgoing message.
  • Lock everything of significant value in a safe.
  • Invest in a home security camera system and home security alarm system.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News Live. Disclosures

82 Year Old Man Shoots Burglars, Faces Charges

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Guns, guns, guns. Americans love their guns. Guns definitely are a layer of security. They can save your life and they can also be used against you and they can also get you in lots and lots of trouble.

An elderly man is now facing two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building for shooting 2 people outside of his home. He believed they were trying to get in, and his belief was affirmed when one of them tossed a boulder through one of his windows.

His attorney stated “This is the victim here, an 82-year-old man with no criminal record. He defended life and property.”

The Assistant District Attorney was quoted saying “We don’t live in a place where you can just fire from a window. It is fortunate no one died.”

True.

It definitely isn’t a good idea to shoot someone outside of your home even on your property. However in some states the laws side with homeowners when shooting trespassers.

I appeared on the Maury Povich show to discuss weaponry and self defense. The premise was the shows subjects were facing jail time or in jail because they killed their attackers, which almost happened in the above scenario.

Some of the subjects were victims of domestic violence where others were victims of home invasions or stalking.

So maybe the guy “jumped the gun”, maybe he was legitimately at risk.

The first layer of protection should always be locked secure doors and windows. A monitored home security alarm should run parallel to a secure perimeter. In the above situation with a proper alarm that included glass break sensors, law enforcement would have been alerted the moment the glass broke. The piecing alarm may have also made the burglars think twice.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussing Home Invasions on Maury Povich. Disclosures

Back to College Campus Security

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Whether getting out of high school and entering college, or if you’re a veteran starting another year of college, there are 2 absolutes remain true: 1. You will more than likely get into a situation where your security will be at risk and 2. You aren’t fully prepared to react or respond to the situation.

Why? First, life can be hard and a hard life makes people a little nutty and they do bad things to other people. Second, your mom and dad really didn’t get a formal education on personal security so they sent you off into the world with the limited information they had. Most people regardless of age aren’t prepared. Throw lots of alcohol into the mix and it gets even dicey-er.

September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 USC § 1092(f)) is the landmark federal law, originally known as the Campus Security Act, that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses.

Do your research into the crime climate of the learning institution you plan on attending.

Don’t sit idly back and hope everything will be OK.

Educational institutions aren’t meant to be secure fortresses, which makes them vulnerable to predators

Directly call the institutions security office and get statistics for on and off campus crimes. You want to know exactly what has taken place in the last 3-5 years.

If you go to the campus have an onsite meeting with the security office. It is in your best interest, and required by law for colleges to offer personal security training for their students.

Determine what campus security personnel and technology systems are in place to head off danger.

 

Whether living on or off campus invest in your personal security. Wireless home alarms and portable home security systems are cost effective and add an additional layer of protection. Security cameras are inexpensive and can greatly enhance your security too.

 

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures