So, you've worked hard and have all this cool stuff or maybe grandma handed you down some fabulous jewelry, whatever the case, it's yours and you should keep it that way. There are some basic things everyone can do to deter some malevolent soul from relieving you of your things. Now I just hate to recommend that you go spend money, but these suggestions can pay off in peace of mind alone. The recommendations included here are from police departments, reference books, and even criminals.
The recommendations by most experts seem basic but after conducting a little investigating of my own and my friends' homes, I was surprised to find that several of the "simple to do's" simply weren't done. So, in an effort to keep us in possession of the things we hold dear, here is what the experts recommend.
Chris McGoey at www.crimedoctor.com writes articles on just about everything that falls under "security". You can get a lot of detail from his articles in the specific areas that interest you. With respect to homes, he mentions that the front door and the garage doors are the two most common points of entry. Even scarier, is that we often open the door for them. I mean, he writes that the thief rings the doorbell and we open it and say, "May I help you?"
McGoey stresses the importance of creating the illusion of being home and recommends using timers for inside and outdoor lights, and possibly even for the television. In addition, he tells us to install wide-angle peepholes. Oh, and please USE the peephole BEFORE you open the door. He even suggests we don't open the door if we don't know the person we see. You might feel a little silly the first time but McGoey urges us to go ahead and ask the delivery person for ID. And, quite astutely, he urges us to answer the door - don't pretend not to be home, the not-so-do-gooder may be hoping for an empty home to enter.
He warns that installing Grade 1 or 2 locks with 4-screw reinforced strike plates using 3" screws is important on the outside doors to keep away the people looking for a quick easy entry. Don't know what grade your lock is? Ask the people at Lowes or Home Depot to help you. Here's one that my friends failed too often - keep the doors and windows closed and locked when you aren't using them. Now, I'm in New England so everyone's got things closed this time of year, but I was surprised at how many people had them unlocked. Spring will be here before we know it and we don't want a theft sprung upon us.
Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief by Bill Mason is a true crime story and should be read simply for the sheer enjoyment! It's fun to read and you find yourself rooting for the bad guy. After you finish the read for fun, peek back for the jewels of advice he leaves for his readers and protect your home by moving your valuables out of the bedroom, replace your outside locks with superior locks, and tune in your radio to "talk".
Mason tells us that thieves look in bedrooms first for our valuables, specifically the bureau and the closet. He recommends moving those items into the laundry room! In fact, he recommends that you diversify that portfolio. If someone does get into the house, don't let it be easy for them to find everything all in one spot. Remember, they want to get in and out as fast as they can.
As we know, deterring the creature from ever entering a home is the best defense. Make your potential intruder think twice about trespassing on your turf by letting them know you mean business with a serious DO NOT ENTER sign in a language they can read...Mason likes Medeco brand locks. In addition, he recommends making it seem like someone is inside by creating voices using your television and radio. I just knew there was another reason I liked talk radio!
Additional tactics the experts nearly unanimously recommend are listed below:
- Get a safety deposit box
- If you are away, have someone pick up your mail
- Exterior doors should be metal or solid wood core
- Be sure to seal gaps between the door and frame in order to prevent a jimmy bar from being used
- Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors and other entrances into the house from the garage or basement
- Don't leave an extra key over your door or under the mat
- Don't leave a window unlocked for you to get in if you lock yourself out...someone else just might use it first
- Fully illuminate all doorways that open to the outside
- Engrave your license number into your valuables for identification
- Video your home and its contents. Leave the video in that safe deposit box or with a family member you trust
- Have adequate insurance coverage on your home and contents
Heather Montanaro: Money Correspondent:
Heather's column, Practically Speaking, published 3 times a month to Gather Essentials: Money presents practical advice for everyday living and provides insight on how to pair lifestyle choices with financial realities.
Heather Montanaro holds an Executive MBA from Northeastern University and has held senior positions with local technology and service companies. Now she enjoys staying at home with her 2 young children. She's made the adjustment from 2 to 1 incomes and enjoys helping others reach their personal goals as a Budget Coach.
You can find all of Heather's Practically Speaking columns at tag: budget coach
Keep up with Heather's other postings and Gather activity by joining her Gather network - just click here budgetcoach.gather.com and select the orange "Connect " button on the left-hand side of the page.
You'll find Heather and other Money Correspondents, plus celebrity content and plenty of other Money experts at Money.gather.com.
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 5
With the recent increase in housing values along with the increase in cost of building materials, it is very likely that most people's homeowners insurance is not keeping pace.
Call your insurance agent and make sure your policy will cover rebuilding costs. Most insurance companies have an automatic revaluing algorithm that they use, but these programs have not kept pace and do not reflect the real cost.
If something happens to your home, the last thing you want to hear is that you are underinsured and cannot afford to rebuild.
Some markets undergo rapid hyperinflationary increases in home values and those are the areas at most risk for being underinsured but not the only areas.