Tips To Make Your Home Safer From Criminals

The story of the convict on the loose in Ocean County has a lot of people asking the question "Is my home safe" ? Convicted criminal Arthur Buckel, an escapee from the Bayside State Prison’s Ancora unit ... has been on the run since Tuesday. Residents are urged to call police is they have any information concerning his whereabouts.

So what can we do to make our home safer ? and protect our families ....

Here are simple ways to make your home safer from criminals here at the Jersey Shore

Spare Keys – Criminals know the typical hiding places for your keys … flowerpots, fake rocks, under doormats etc … So it’s suggested you give a spare to a neighbor to hold or get real creative in where you hide your spares
Neighborhood – Keep an eye out for each other and any suspicious behavior, maybe look into a neighborhood watch.
Vacation – When you go away try to make your home look “alive” and not vacated. Leave Cars in the driveway, turn a radio or television on … use automatic timers for lights.
Lock Your Home – Keep windows and doors locked. Buy “pry-proof locks” for your windows and deadbolts for doors. Also don't forget second story windows…criminals can go there too.
Landscape – Make sure your hedges are trimmed and windows are visible from the street. Don’t leave places for burglars to hide while they work ….
Alarms – Install a security system with alarms for added safety.
Outdoor Lighting - Make sure all entrances have lighting. Install motion-detecting lights around your home. Make sure the back of your home has proper lighting …
Doors – Install “solid core” doors instead of hallow ones and if possible add a storm door with break-proof glass for an extra layer of protection …

Do you have any extra tips ? Share with us your “safety” ideas .... Portions of our list comes from How Stuff Works dot Com ...