| Description |
Yes |
No |
| Are fences low and
open so intruders can be seen between your fence line and house? |
|
|
| Are trees and shrubs
trimmed back so they cannot be used to hide criminals seeking to
enter your home? |
|
|
| If you have moved into
a new home - have you changed out the locks? |
|
|
| Are your sliding-glass
doors secured with extra security devices? Such as broom
stick or nail/pin hole? |
|
|
| Do you have a
wide-angle viewer or peep hole for your front entrance? Is
it mounted no higher than 58"? |
|
|
| Are exterior doors
made of solid wood or metal? |
|
|
| Are pet entrances
small enough that even a child cannot enter? |
|
|
| Do your doors have a
dead-bolt lock with at least a one-inch throw? |
|
|
| Have your exterior
doors and door frames been reinforced for greater structural
strength? |
|
|
| Are hinges on exterior
doors not accessible from the outside of house? |
|
|
| Are extra house keys
secure? Not hidden in flower pots or under door mats on
front steps? |
|
|
| Does your security
alarm system: activate local audio and visual alarms within and
outside of your home? Does it send a signal to a central
monitoring station so they can respond with a phone call, security
patrol, or police? Does the central alarm station have clear
instructions and up-to-date phone numbers? |
|
|
| Are garage doors kept
locked when not in use? |
|
|
| Do you have adequate
lighting above all entry-ways and windows? |
|
|
| Do you belong to a
neighborhood watch program? |
|
|
| If your windows have
extra security locks or features - can they be opened from inside
in case of fire? |
|
|
| Do you have a paper
shedder to destroy personal information such as credit card
numbers, social security numbers, bank accounts, etc. in order to
protect yourself from identity theft? |
|
|
| Do you have an
emergency communications phone list in case of emergency? |
|
|
| Do you have an
emergency evacuation plan for your family should there be a fire
or intruder? |
|
|
| Has exterior lighting
been linked to motion detectors, timers, and/or light-sensitive
photocell devices? |
|
|
| Do you have highly
visible stickers on glass windows or doors indicating that you
have an alarm system? |
|
|
| Do your windows have
secondary locking or blocking devices in addition to the standard
latch? |
|
|
| Do you have a home
safe for your valuables, guns, jewelry, passports, bankbooks, etc? |
|
|
| Have you marked (with
your drivers licence #), photographed, and insured your stereos,
computers, VCRs, televisions, and other high-value items?
Have you recorded the model, make, color, and serial numbers? |
|
|
| Do you have copies of
all your important documents (passport, credit cards, birth
certificate, bank books, diplomas, marriage certificates, deeds,
wills, etc.) and are they stored in a separate location (relative
or safe deposit box) than your home? |
|
|
| Do you have a dog that
is alert and barks at strangers approaching the house? |
|
|
| Does your house have a
safe room? Is this a good place for family members to
retreat to during a home invasion? |
|
|
| Do you have a "Family
Security Plan" and have you discussed it with your family members? |
|
|
| Did you have a friend
or relative conduct a home security assessment of your home using
this or some other checklists? Someone else will pick up
items of interest that you might dismiss. |
|
|
| Do you have a listed
or unlisted telephone number? |
|
|
| Ensure that your
remote garage door opener does not have the original factory-set
code. Reset it to a new code. |
|
|
| Reflective numbers
outside your home or the door will make it easier for police, fire
or security responders to find your house at night in case of an
emergency. |
|
|
| Install security bars
in basement windows and around AC units. Ensure that the
security bars are removable from the inside in case of fire. |
|
|
| Replace glass doors or
install window film and metal security grills on the doors for
added security. |
|
|
| Use curtains or blinds
for privacy. |
|
|
| Tools, ladders,
garbage cans, or anything else that can be used by a potential
intruder should be stored in locked sheds, basements, or garages. |
|
|
| Make sure that
skylights are secured with locks. |
|
|
| To ensure that you do
not have to enter a darkened garage enable your garage lights to
be turned on from inside the house. |
|
|
| Don't put your name on
your mailbox. Just your street address and number. |
|
|
| Back up information on
your computer onto blank CDs or thumb drives in case your computer
is stolen. |
|
|
| Do you have homeowners
insurance and does it cover theft? |
|
|
| |
|
|
