Burglary Protection
Almost every home in every neighborhood is a target for burglary - whether you live in the city or country. Today most families have valuables that attract burglars: televisions, stereos, cash and computers. Justice Department statistics say that an average family has a one-in-four chance of being the victim of a serious crime each year. Even worse, burglary is often compounded by violence. Here at A to Z we have over 100 years of experience protecting families like yours from burglary. Listed below are some of the best tips we've found to help you protect your family and home.

• If exterior doors are hollow-core, replace them with solid wood, fiberglass or steel.
• Make sure exterior door hinges are on the inside rather than the outside - where an intruder can remove the pins and pull the door out of the frame.
• If you have double-hung windows, bolt the upper and lower sashes together or insert a metal bar in the track to prevent opening.
• To secure sliding glass doors, add a bolt lock or use a "charley bar" to block the door closed.
• Use bars to secure basement or garage doors and add bars to basement windows.
• Most home burglaries occur between 8:00am and 5:00pm, so get in the habit of always locking all doors and windows whenever you go out.
• Invest in high-quality, name-brand deadbolt locks for all exterior doors.
• If you have a double-cylinder deadbolt that is operated by a key both inside and out, keep the key near the door so every family member can find it and exit quickly in case of fire.
• Alarm systems are an effective deterrent. Nine out of ten convicted burglars agree they'd avoid a house protected by an alarm system.
• Security system decals and signs are also an effective deterrent.
• According to the FBI, more burglaries occur in July and August than in any other months.
• Make sure your security system includes a loud inside alarm, detectors at all exterior doors, and motion sensors in the master bedroom and main living areas.
• Never leave an answering machine message indicating you're not at home. Instead, just say you "can't come to the phone."
• Use timers to turn lights, televisions and sound systems on and off at different times to give your home a "lived-in look" when you're away.
• Install motion-detecting outdoor floodlights around your home. Remember to mount them high enough to prevent intruders from disabling them.
• If there's a Neighborhood Watch Program in your community, join it. If there's not, start one.
• Report any suspicious persons or vehicles to your local police.
• Get to know your neighbors.
• If you have elderly or incapacitated friends or relatives, check to make sure their security devices are all in good working order.
• Some burglars scan newspapers for wedding and funeral announcements and special community and holiday events that might take you out of your home, so be especially careful on these occasions.
• Don't let mail, newspapers or flyers accumulate while you're away, tipping off criminals. Have the post office hold mail, have newspapers suspended, and have a neighbor or friend clear away flyers.
• To a burglar, an empty trash can may mean you're away. Keep some trash on hand, and consider asking a neighbor to set out trash for pick-up at your house.
• Don't leave valuables in sight through windows, where they will tempt burglars.
• Use an etching pen to mark an ID number, like your driver's license number, on valuables.
• Make an inventory of valuables in your household and store it somewhere other than your home, such as in a safe deposit box.
• Leave curtains slightly parted so your house doesn't have an empty look.
• Never open the door to a stranger. Install peepholes in all exterior doors so you can identify whoever is outside. Do not rely on a door safety chain, because these can be broken easily.
• Ask for I.D. from service representatives who come to your home, and if they don't have it, check with their company to verify identity before letting them in.
• If you're planning to go away, be careful whom you tell.
• When vacationing, leave a car in your driveway or arrange for a neighbor to keep a car there and move it around from time to time.
• Have someone mow your lawn, rake leaves and shovel snow while you're away.
• Prune overgrown trees and shrubs to eliminate hiding places for intruders.
• Many garage door openers respond to common codes, so follow the manufacturer's instructions to program yours with a unique code no burglar's opener will match.
• Keep your garage door locked at all times, preferably with a deadbolt lock.
• Thieves always look in mailboxes, under doormats and above doorways for keys. Don't make it easy for them to get into your home.
• Don't put your name or address on your key ring, because it might lead a thief right to your door with key in hand.
• When having a car parked or serviced, leave only the car keys.
• If there's any chance a previous resident may still have keys to your house, re-key the locks.