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Strengthen your Entry way Security

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Did you know that often, burglars gain entry by simply kicking open locked doors? You just would not believe how easy this is. This is why it’s crucial to beef up the strength of your house’s doors. And this can be done several ways.

2BDeadbolt Strike Plate

  • It’s ironic that this piece of hardware is called a strike plate, because an inferior type can be struck by the burglar’s foot and blasted apart.
  • The strike plate is that metal piece that’s on the door frame, where the deadbolt latches into.
  • A low grade strike plate serves the purpose of holding the door shut. Period. It’s no match for a burglar’s foot.
  • In addition to a sturdier strike plate, you need a full metal enclosure and longer screws. The burglar will then worry about breaking his ankle as he continues to try to budge this hardware—which is possible, if he’s persistent, has a decent kick and doesn’t tire easily.

Door and Door Jamb

  • So to stop a persistent burglar who doesn’t mind repeatedly kicking, you must reinforce the door and door jamb.
  • Sturdy door reinforcement can be found at Door Devil.

Solid Wood or Metal Doors

  • A hollow wood construction has no place in an exterior door.
  • A solid wood door would ideally be made of a hardwood variety. It’s not cheap, but it will buy you peace of mind.
  • A steel door is even more secure.
  • The ultimate door may be a hurricane-resistant steel door.

Hinges

  • Burglars have been known to remove the hinge pins and lift the door up and out of the frame.
  • A door that swings out and exposes the hinges is not secure.
  • Safety studs, crimped pins and a setscrew in the hinge will prevent a burglar from removing the hinge pin.

Still More…

  • A door that’s highlighted with a motion detecting light (out of reach from an adult) will help deter intruders.
  • A fake surveillance camera (again, out of reach) is an effective deterrent.

Robert Siciliano is a home and personal security expert to DoorDevil.com discussing Anti-Kick door reinforcement on YouTube. Disclosures.

Town sees Big Spike in Burglaries

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Why are so many burglaries hounding the town of Los Altos in California? There were 79 reported in 2013, but 118 for 2014. This past January and February there were 36. At that rate, by Christmas 2015, it’s unthinkable what the total number of burglaries will be.

1HIn a report on mercurynews.com, the Los Altos police chief, Tuck Younis, is quoted as saying, “It sickens me, as the one who is responsible to keep the city safe, that’s occurring. It sickens every member of our department that’s occurring, especially at the volume that is occurring in our city.”

He spoke this to an assembly of over 200 town residents. Chief Younis added that the number of burglaries is “unprecedented.” In fact, the cities of Sunnyvale and Mountainview—neighbors to Los Altos—have also been stung. And not just by local thieves, but thieves from all over.

Chief Younis speculates that a prison realignment is responsible for the spike in burglaries; convicts are getting released sooner.

And these burglars are going after hard-to-trace loot like jewelry and cash, rather than iPhones and video games. And they’ve been hitting homes both during the day and in the middle of the night.

The police have reassured residents that they are doing everything possible to break this spike up, and that there’s even been some arrests. Nevertheless, residents were instructed to be extra alert and not to hold back from reporting any suspicious activity.

Residents should also beef up their home security as well as take non-techy measures to make their homes unappealing to burglars. Being aware of the little things will make a difference, such as not letting newspapers collect in the driveway because you haven’t felt like getting the paper for a few days and not letting the lawn become overgrown—signs to a burglar that nobody’s been home for a while.

Keeping windows and doors locked at all times, using a deadbolt on doors and Charlie bars on windows, and keeping lights on will also help repel burglars. You can even get semi-techy by installing a fake video camera above the front door that a thief won’t miss—this is a good deterrent to the bad guys.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Burglar Leaves Porn in Kid’s Bedroom

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Maybe you’ve heard of burglars stealing porn…but leaving it at the victim’s house? A man in Salem, Oregon, broke into a woman’s apartment, leaving behind a porn video in a seven-year-old girl’s bedroom. Police think the man broke in earlier and hid in the girl’s closet, then made his move soon after midnight, replacing the cartoon film in the DVD with a porn film. Three miles away another break-in occurred, but the man fled after the female resident screamed. Sounds like this could have been the same perpetrator.

2BIf you think putting porn in a little girl’s DVD player is low, you can’t sink lower than the roach who stole Pepper, a little poodle mix, during a robbery in New Jersey. Why didn’t this low life (or two?) leave the dog be and just steal the typical things? The thief got in, apparently, through an unlocked back door. Nevertheless, Pepper was soon after returned to the homeowner, Barbara August, and her husband.

Prevent Home Burglaries

  • Have an alarm system, and one that sounds an alert when doors and windows are opened, including when you’re home.
  • To avoid an empty look about your house, keep its exterior well-lit. When you’re gone, have indoor lights come on and off with timers.
  • Your security system should include surveillance cameras. The price has come down on them, and today’s cameras are easier than ever to install.
  • No matter how solid your security system, always keep your doors and windows locked, even if your family is always going out and in. Inspect all the windows and doors to make sure nothing is broken. Most burglars simply come into a house via unlocked entries.
  • Consider having wooden dowels installed on top of windows for extra protection. Special films can be put over the glass to prevent penetration. Install glass-break sensors.
  • Install heavy deadbolts on your doors, ones with 3-4 inch screws.
  • Waste no time putting in your security system or checking to make sure all the locks work, etc. Don’t delay!

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Bolster your Belongings on TV and This is what happens

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How did a burglar know that Theresa Roemer had a 3,000 square foot, three-level closet that was crammed full of very pricey items including jewels and furs? Well, apparently, he caught wind of the “she cave” on TV, then perhaps Google Earthed it and (believe it or not) the evening he decided to bust in, the house alarm wasn’t on. And the closet wasn’t locked.

3BThe burglar stole $1 million worth of jewels and designer handbags from the enormous closet in Theresa Roemer’s mansion in The Woodlands, a Houston suburb.

While she was out dining with her husband, the thief filled three handbags with loot, and each handbag is worth $60,000. This was like a young kid in a candy factory.

Nobody really knows why the alarm was turned off.

Roemer has hosted many parties for charity inside the closet, which also includes a champagne bar. In addition to the handbags, furs and jewels are rows of shoes, boots, hats, clothes and beauty products. If you saw the move “Bling Ring” which was based on real events and often filmed in what was supposed to be Paris Hiltons closet, then you’d get the idea.

Roemer stated that she really doesn’t care about the replaceable items and refers to these as “crap.” She has expressed angst that some of the stolen items are heirlooms. Most people who lose stuff in a fire feel the same way.

The mansion’s surveillance cameras recorded the burglar, and it’s only a matter of time before the thief is identified. And even if the surveillance cameras eventually lead to an arrest and conviction, nobody wants to experience coming home to find that it’s been invaded and that valuable items have been stolen.

If you’re going to bother with having surveillance cameras, then also bother turning on the alarm when you’re gone and even when you’re home. But let’s not also forget that Roemer revealed her closet of riches on TV…a big mistake.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

4 Different types of burglary and burglars

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https://safr.me/webinar/  | Robert Siciliano is the #1 Security Expert in the United States with over 25 years of experience! He is here to help you become more aware of the risks and strategies to help protect yourself, your family, your business, and your entire life. Robert brings identity theft, personal security, fraud prevention and cyber security to light so that criminals can no longer hide in the dark. You need to be smarter than criminals yesterday so that they don’t take advantage of you today! If you would like to learn more about Security Awareness, then sign up for Robert’s latest webinar!

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Burglars are opportunists. They seek out opportunity often to support a drug habit or other uncivil reasons for turning your stuff into cash. Burglaries and burglars come in different flavors, here’s a taste.

  • Simple burglary: The act of entering any type of structure without permission (regardless if the entry is unlocked) with the intention of stealing something inside. A conviction will net prison time up to 12 years.
  • Aggravated burglary: The structure that the criminal gains unauthorized entry into contains a person, or, the intruder has a dangerous weapon, or, the burglar commits harm to that individual. The punishment is up to 30 years in the slammer.
  • Home invasion. Unlike aggravated burglary, in which the burglar doesn’t know that the structure is inhabited at the time of the crime, the home invader knows in advance that at least one person is inside, and premeditates using violence or force against that person. Or, the intent is to damage or deface the interior. Punishment goes up to 20 years and includes hard labor.
  • The looter takes advantage of an establishment, dwelling or vehicle that’s unprotected due to a hurricane or other disaster, or due to mass rioting. Prison time goes up to 15 years. If the crime occurs during a declared state of emergency, the convict will get hard labor that may exceed 15 years.

Type of Burglars

The common & simple. This thief seeks out easy fast targets, such as open windows and unlocked doors. Since the ease of the crime is the driving force rather than advanced knowledge of valuables, this burglar often ends up with “stuff” that can be exchanged for cash.

The hunter. The burglary is based on premeditation, scouting around neighborhoods for valuables. They’ll take advantage of unlocked doors and windows, but are willing to be careless and will smash through windows or bash down doors, then grab anything that they can stuff into pockets or a rucksack.

The prowler. This smarter type operates with more finesse, targeting structures where they know the valuable can be swiftly sold on the black market. Often, the prowler is a former hunter who developed savviness and efficiency along the way.

The specialist. This is the top fight burglar, concentrating on wealthy estates, selecting targets very carefully, usually working within a crime ring. Only high-value items will suffice, and thus specialist burglars may also target businesses and warehouses.

Now you know. So get a home security system.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Burglars steal Computers, Jewelry and Puppy!

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If ever there were a heartless robber, it’s the one (or two/three?) who stole a little dog named Pepper, a schnauzer-poodle mix, as part of their burglary in New Jersey.

Barbara August, the homeowner, said, “I’m devastated—I keep thinking I’m seeing her.” She wonders why the burglars didn’t just put Pepper in her crate and then do the ransacking. August also explained that the burglars got in through a back door that was not locked due to a defect.

But this story has a happy ending: A few days later August and her husband were reunited with their “schnoodle.”

2BHere’s how to prevent home thefts:

  1. Keep your home’s exterior well-lit, and use timers on indoor lights so nobody thinks the house is vacant.
  1. Have an alarm system and one that sets off a sound (when you’re home) and shrieking alarm (when you’re not) whenever a door or window is opened.
  1. Lock your doors and windows! If something’s broken, waste no time getting it fixed. Hollywood likes to perpetuate the idea that burglars typically use elaborate tricks to get into a home or simply whack a window with a sledgehammer to get in. But the reality is that many just traipse right through an unlocked door or crawl through an open or unlocked window.
  1. As for burglars who get past a locked door, a solid core door will be very difficult to bust through. Use heavy deadbolts—ones that go deep into the jamb that have 3-4 inch screws. A sliding glass door can be guarded with a wooden dowel that prevents it from being opened from outside.
  1. Wooden dowels should be installed on top of windows as well. Windows should have films over the glass that prevent breaking. Top everything off with a glass-break sensor anyways.
  1. Get an alarm system AND security cameras. Today’s surveillance cameras are more affordable and easier to install than ever.
  1. Get to work now on your security system; don’t wait till you’re victimized.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Victim kills Burglar, Accomplice charged with Murder

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A few bungling burglars will be paying lots of time for their crime: one in prison and one six feet under.

1GThe surviving robber has been charged with the death of his alleged accomplice, even though the accomplice was shot dead by the owner of the home that they were apparently intending to rob.

It all began in St. Louis’s Bevo Mill neighborhood when a 17-year-old girl was outside to retrieve something from her car. Two gunmen ordered her back into her house. It didn’t occur to them that inside might be two bears: a papa bear and mama bear, ready to grab their guns and fire.

The girl’s father fetched his gun and fired several rounds, hitting 31-year-old Terrell Johnson, killing him at the scene. The other man, Cortez McClinton, 33, got away with wounds to his chest and upper legs, but was taken to a hospital by his brother.

McClinton has been charged with second-degree murder for Johnson’s death. That’s because if a suspect dies while a felony is being committed, the accomplice can be charged with murder: felony murder, it’s called. Of course, McClinton has been charged also with first-degree burglary, plus kidnapping and armed criminal action.

The homeowner and his daughter were not harmed. The girl’s mother had also taken some shots at the gunmen, but missed. The parents are not being charged.

Much of this can be avoided by being proactive and investing in home security.

  • Hide valuables such as jewelry, preferably in a safe.
  • Lock all entries to your home even if you’re away for only a few minutes.
  • Leaving an outside light on constantly, tells burglars you may not be home. Use an automatic timer instead.
  • Get a home security system.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Real Estate Agent a Professional Burglar

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Does the profession of real estate sales turn someone into a burglar, or, does a burglar one day realize, “Hey, I can make off like a bandit if I sell homes!”?

3HRay Glen Greene, 49, was a real estate agent in Cobb County, Georgia, who’d use his agent keycode to get into houses and steal valuables. He was sentenced to 20 years.

His sob story was that he hadn’t sold any homes in a year and pawned stolen jewelry to support himself. He even apologized to the victims who showed up at his trial.

If that’s not entertaining enough, there’s the case where a real estate agent, 60-year-old Stephen Brumme, stole women’s clothes from a house for sale, prior to a showing, while the occupants were out of town. The crime was caught on video. Police believe that such crimes occur more often than people realize.

How can you prevent crimes like these?

  • Install a video surveillance system. Though fake cameras are effective deterrents to break-ins once they’re spotted by the would-be thief, should a brazen thief bust in anyways, a fake camera won’t catch anything. A real camera at least will catch the crime on tape, which you’ll need for evidence.
  • Security cameras can also set off sounds and lighting, plus also alert the homeowner with a text message or phone call.
  • Technology (such as Dropcam) is available that allows you to view just what’s happening inside and outside your house, and in real time.
  • The investment in a surveillance system will go beyond protection and evidence. It will add value to your home. Some insurance plans even give discounts if your home has a good security system.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Using Technology to Secure Your Home when Traveling

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Whom better than a burglar knows what a great way to find a victim is? Edith Cowan University in Australia interviewed 69 burglars. One of their favorite methods of finding a target is to search social media for vacation updates.

3BYou can extrapolate that it wouldn’t be a bright idea to reveal travel plans on your voicemail. Only close family and friends should know; this excludes casual neighbors. Here are more tips:

Don’t buy the biggest house on the block. The biggest, fanciest house on the block really gets a burglar’s attention. Skip it when home shopping.

Home security systems

The vast majority of burglars will not bother with a home that has an alarm. Put the alarm company’s stickers on your windows and their sign in your yard.

Home automation

Use services like Total Connect by Honeywell to control your home from wherever you are. Get video updates of any activity on your front door or cars. You can unlock and disarm your system all from your phone.

Hide valuables

Use a safe for pricey items. Put jewelry in a plastic bag from Walmart, then put it on your vanity. What thief will look inside, thinking it’s new hairspray or a pack of bobby pins?

Close your curtains

It’s a myth that closed curtains in broad daylight are an invitation to burglars. Thieves don’t just break into any home. They want to make sure their efforts are worth it. How can they know this if they can’t see into your house?

But if you want the curtains/shades open for light to come in or to expose a nice view, at least close them when it begins getting dusky. A burglar cases possible targets by looking inside, and it’s very easy for them to see through a bare window at night when your lights are on. Not only can they see what’s worth breaking in for, but they’ll be able to see if the residents can be easily overpowered.

Looks are everything

Accumulations of mail and newspapers will get a burglar’s attention. So will unmowed lawns and a perpetually barren driveway. Put a delivery stop on mail and newspapers, and ask neighbors to park their cars in your lot. Use automatic timers for indoors that set off lights and TVs. Mute the ringer volume on your phone.

Lock your front door!

A 2008 State Farm Insurance study revealed that under 50 percent of 1,000 respondents locked their front doors. It takes the average thief 60 seconds to break in, but only a few seconds for you to lock each portal to your home. Burglars don’t like hard work. Add extra security with a deadbolt.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics, interestingly, says that 40 percent of home burgles are not forced entries. Burglars are literally waltzing right into homes via an unlocked door or window. Lock up, even when you’re home, even during the day. Many burglaries occur during the day.

Keep the garage door closed

Even when you’re home. Install a device that will automatically close the garage door after a specific amount of time open. Prior to traveling, disable the door’s opener or lock the door if it rolls up.

Trash

Don’t leave the boxes that expensive items came in, visible on your curb for trash pickup. Disassemble as much as possible and conceal.

Don’t aid burglars

Keep plant growth away from entry points so that burglars can’t conceal themselves when they’re trying to break in. If you absolutely must have shrubbery near entry points due to aesthetic appeal, then choose thorny plants to repel a thief.

Know your neighbors

Not many burglars will get past a Mrs. Kravitz-type neighbor. A stranger will stand out to neighbors who know each other. Get a Neighborhood Watch program going.

Get a dog

A dog’s incessant barking will drive many burglars away.

Robert Siciliano is a personal security expert to SecurityOptions.com discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures.

Burglars busted bolstering Buffoonery

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Social media makes dumb criminals look (and act) even dumber. Take the case of Damian and Rolando Lozano of Texas, who were suspected of stealing items from 17 cars in the town of Rosenberg.

5HDamian was caught, but Rolando was still out there somewhere. The Rosenberg police posted Rolando’s photo on their Facebook page, hoping that visitors might recognize him and point to his possible whereabouts.

Whom but Rolando himself responded to his photo on the police’s Facebook page! He posted a brief note that included “catch me if u can muthasuckas.”

It took the police only 15 minutes (some speculate much less than that) to track the location of where Rolando’s snarky post originated from: a family member’s house. And that’s where he was arrested.

He, along with his brother, are suspects in a case known as the Seaborne Meadow’s Burglary of Motor Vehicles. The geniuses are now behind bars.

How did the police nab Rolando so quickly? Was it computer forensics? Well, according to a subsequent post by the police, tips from the community helped them track the thief to the relative’s house. Perhaps this was in part due to the friendly appearance and humorous photos of the Rosenberg police Facebook page.

Looks like this police department is onto something: Make a Facebook page that appears more community oriented rather than government-official oriented, and maybe the community will become more proactive in helping solve crime cases.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.