NCJ Number
75090
Date Published
1980
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This handbook, written for the citizen who wants to combat residential burglaries, discusses the concepts of burglary prevention, protecting the home's interior and exterior, protection against entry, and personal security.
Abstract
Marking and recording property for Operation Identification and the Neighborhood Watch are described. Other advice includes not advertising vacation plans, and being 'neighborly' by being alert to suspicious incidents in the neighborhood. Burglars sometimes survey potential victims, a practice often evidenced by a flurry of suspicious wrong number calls. If a burglar does get in, secondary barriers or security closets and adequate insurance protection become necessary. A section on protection against entry describes, among other things, elements of good locks and doors and how to secure windows. Key control, hinges and locks, and locks for double, dutch, glass, and sliding glass doors are described. Security for garage doors and electric garage door openers is detailed. Protecting sliding, double hung, sash-type, crank-type casement, louvered, and basement windows is also described. Window grills and alarms are discussed. Protecting the home's exterior involves maintaining an appearance of occupancy, illuminated and visible house numbers (to help guide police), and landscaping that does not obstruct windows and doors. Emergency telephone numbers and personal security routines need to be planned. For example, if a burglary is interrupted, call the police. Never struggle with a burglar unless it is clearly the last and only course of action. An Operation Identification inventory list, illustrations, and a home security survey are provided.