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monthly security tips

Crime Prevention Tip of the Month

November 2005
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Greetings!

Officer GordWelcome to the Crime Prevention Tip of the Month. First, a little about me. I'm a working Police Officer in my thirtieth year with a major North American Police Service. I've been involved in Crime Prevention for 9 years and specialize in CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design). In fact, I instruct other officers in this at the Police College. In my position as Crime Prevention Officer, I consult with homeowners, businesses and developers in their attempt to design out crime.

I am delighted to contribute to Mr. Goodbar's website. I firmly believe that physical security is the best kind of security because it leaves no question in the mind of the criminal as to the premise's level of protection. In my opinion, the use of window bars is the next best visual deterrent to having a Police Officer standing on your lawn.

10 Tips to Securing Your Apartment
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Apartment dwellers often neglect to take basic security precautions, believing that the landlord or management company has taken care of security for them.

Your apartment is your home: it's up to you to protect it. Take control of your security by following these tips.

  1. Form an Apartment Watch. You'll get to know your neighbors and you'll have a forum for making group security decisions. Invite management and maintenance personnel as well.
  2. As a first line of defense, ensure the front door is secure. This means having clear guidelines governing who is allowed to enter when, and communicating those guidelines to residents, management and staff.
  3. Never buzz anyone into the building if you don't know them. Yes, you might feel bad leaving someone shivering in the cold. But you'll feel worse if your neighbors get robbed and it was your fault.
  4. Re-key your locks when you move in. The old tenant may still have a key, and in many apartment buildings, the key cut is repeated numerous times. We recently had a situation where the key for apartment 103 also opened 403, 703, 1103 and 1503!
  5. Request that chain locks be replaced with deadbolts and that peepholes be installed. Apartments are usually entered by forcing the door with a pry bar, so you need a "high security" deadbolt. These are more expensive, but you can take them with you when you leave and put the old deadbolt or chain back on the door if your landlord won't put a new one in for you. See next month's tip to find out more about how high security locks can protect you.
  6. Lock your apartment door every time you leave, even if you're just running to the laundry room. You don't know who might be watching and waiting for an opportunity to slip in.
  7. Use basic elevator precautions, like standing next to the control panel and getting off if you feel uncomfortable.
  8. Secure patio doors. Being on a higher floor is no guarantee a thief won't be able to get onto your balcony. Pick up an easy to install patio door bar so they have to keep leaping balconies.
  9. Install window bars with emergency release systems on easy to reach windows.
  10. Let the landlord know if changes need to be made, like installing additional lighting on the grounds, or replacing your useless security guard.

Start here to secure your apartment.

Protect Your Friends and Family
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See back issues of the Monthly Security Tips!