Safety For You and Your Home

Community Education Specialist

Mary Browning

Naperville Police Department

Objectives

• To learn techniques useful in keeping yourself and your property safe

• Home Security

Who are Victims of Crime

• Anybody

• Anywhere

• Any time• More crimes of violence occurred during

daylight hours than between 6pm and 6am (DOJ, 1998)

Crime Statistics 2010 Naperville

PersonalPersonal

• Murder 0

• Sexual Assault 15

• Battery 85

• Robbery 13

PropertyProperty

• Theft 1838• Arson 7• Burglary 230• Motor Vehicle

Theft 60

Crime Prevention Triangle

Desire Ability

Opportunity

For a crime to occur theremust be three elementspresent.

Which one canwe effect?

Crime Prevention Triangle

Desire Ability

OpportunityOpportunity

For a crime to occur theremust be three elementspresent.

Which one canwe effect?

Make Your Home A Lousy Target

There are two types of barriers we can use to eliminate the opportunity to commit a crime:

• Physical Barriers

• Psychological Barriers

Removing the Opportunity

Removing The OpportunityPhysical Barriers• Locks

• Doors

• Windows

• Fences

• Chains

• Alarm Systems

• Dogs

Removing the Opportunity

Psychological Barriers:

• Alarm Systems

• Dogs

• Lights

• Signs

Crime Prevention for the Home Removing the Opportunity

# 1 Strategy criminals use to enter your home……….

Removing The OpportunityPhysical Barriers• Locks

• Doors

• Windows

• Fences

• Chains

• Alarm Systems

• Dogs

Statistics

Statistics

• In a survey by the National Crime Prevention Council: 34% do not generally lock their car doors whether parked or moving

• In 2010 there were 586 BMV’s in Naperville, over 70% of them were

committed to cars that were unlocked

Removing the Opportunity

LOCKS• Use them!

• Install deadbolt locks-they can’t be “popped” like spring-latch locks can

• Deadbolts should be at least 1 1/2”

• Don’t forget the basement door or the door from the house to the garage

Removing the Opportunity

LANDSCAPING

• Don’t block entrances or create hiding places with your plants and/or bushes• Plant thorny or spiny bushes to discourage entry• Keep all landscaping well trimmed• Position trees so they don’t hide windows, walkways or

doors• Consider gravel instead of mulch, it’s noisy• Don’t create roof access

• No tree branches below 6 feet• Remove ladders when finished with them

Removing the Opportunity

LIGHTS

• Exterior lighting• Doors: house and garage• Entryways and ground-level windows• Out of reach so can’t be broken/unscrewed• Motion detectors• Photoelectric Lights

• Interior lighting• Timers• Kitchen

Removing the Opportunity

DOORS• Solid Core doors

• 1 1/2 inch deadbolts

• Front Door

• Back Door

• Access from Garage

• Secure sliding glass doors with a broomstick or dowel in the track

Removing the “Window” of Opportunity

WINDOWS

• Use additional security on ground level windows

• LOCK them• Use dowel rods, pins, or deadbolts (Cautions)• Keep trees and bushes trimmed back• Secure air conditioners with window brackets

and screws

Removing the Opportunity

HOUSE NUMBERS

• At Least 5 inches High• Keep them Illuminated all Night• Display where they are most visible

• Mailbox• Garage door• Front Door

Thank you!Stay Safe!