Home Security Protection

Did you know that 86% of home break-ins happen by kicking in a door? With only 1/2″ of wood between your deadbolt and the edge of the door jam, it’s shouldn’t be surprising that a good kick or two on your door, and the criminal is in your home!

Watch this video to see how easy it really is to kick in a door that isn’t properly secured, then, call 480-213-7856 to schedule installation of your door sentinel security devices!

Your Safety Is Our Top Priority!

The holiday season is upon us! This means different things to people: for some, it’s time spent with family, holiday vacation, and even presents. To criminals, the holiday season means empty homes with vulnerable valuables; valuable that can become gifts for their families and not yours.

Xpress Protection Security would like to remind everyone to be watchful and have your guard up to protect yourself and your home from burglars this holiday season.  We want you to take all necessary precautions to safeguard your houses and property. Here are things you can do:

• Trim any bushes or trees that may provide hiding places for criminals. Check all of the entry points into your home (windows and doors) and make sure they are locked and secure. Sliding glass doors are the easiest points of entry. Install a pin or locking mechanism that prevents the door from being lifted up and out of it tracks, as well as prevents it from being opened.

• If your home has an home security system, make sure that you and your family use it, even when you’re home. Alarm systems and visible advertisements (stickers & lawn signs) are some of the best deterrents against burglars.

• When you leave your home, even to run short errands, make your home look occupied. Putting some of your interior and exterior lights on timers, leaving the TV on or playing the radio is a couple quick ways to prevent burglaries.

• Consider putting up exterior holiday lights. The lights not only will make your house look beautiful, they will also light up your home and yard, making it more difficult for burglars to lurk in darkness around your home.

• Keep the receipts for all your major purchases in a safe place. Take time to record the serial numbers of the property on the corresponding receipt or on another list. If these items do get stolen, these records will show proof of purchase and greatly help the police in identifying any of the stolen items.

• You should always be very cautious about solicitors, but especially during the holidays. If you have side windows by your entry door, cover them to make scoping out the inside of your home difficult. Also, don’t open the door; talk to them through a locked and secure door. If you didn’t invite them to your home, they should not be allowed inside.

• If you shop online and will be having merchandise delivered to your home, schedule the deliveries on a day and time when you will be home and will accept the package. Packages left on doorsteps are susceptible to thieves passing through the neighborhood.

• Many of us will have a brightly lit Christmas tree with presents around it. If the tree and presents are visible through a window or doorway, you could be tempting a burglar scouting the neighborhood. Consider hiding the presents in a bedroom or garage and place them under the tree at the last minute.

• Don’t advertise your new high-dollar purchases after the holidays. You should break down boxes of TVs, stereos, computers, etc. so they will fit inside of your trash or recycling bin. If you aren’t going to keep the boxes for possible returns, try to stagger the time you throw these boxes out.

• We always encourage you to NOT advertise any upcoming trips or vacations on social networking sites. Letting people know that your home is unoccupied and vulnerable is an open invitation to criminals. Make sure your children and grandchildren are following the same precautions and that they are careful about discussing travel plans with friends.

• If you are traveling for the holidays, ask a trusted neighbor to watch over your home while you’re gone. Either have all mail and newspapers collected each day or have your services suspended. Give a key to the person watching the house so they can make your house look occupied, either by turning on lights, turning on the radio, or moving a car in the driveway.

• Notify your local police department that you will be away and provide the contact information for the neighbor who will be watching your home. If you have a monitored security system, also notify them of your absence and the name of the person watching your home.

• If you’re traveling but leaving your four legged children at home, consider having that trusted neighbor, a family member, or friend pet sit at your home instead of using a kennel. Dogs of all sizes and barks are a deterrent to burglars.

              Your Safety Is Our Top Priority!

According to the FBI:

* Homes without alarm systems are 2.7 times more likely to be burglarized,

* A burglary occurs every 12 seconds,

* The average loss is $1,675.00,

* 1 in 6 homes will be burglarized,

* Criminals take less than 1 minute to enter our home, and,

* 60% of burglaries occur during daytime hours.

Criminals look for the fast and easy targets – homes that are easily accessed from the back, on ‘quiet streets’, and where they have minimal chances of being seen or interrupted.

So, what can we do to minimize our chances of being a victim of a burglary? A lot! Here are a few suggestions everyone can implement to protect your home and property.

1. All exterior doors should be solid-core wood, steel or fiberglass with the hinges on the inside of the door.

2. Keep all doors and windows locked. Exterior doors should have deadbolt locks with keys on both sides-not a thumb turn on the inside. Be sure the deadbolt has at least a 1” throw and that the strike plates are reinforced and secured with 3” screws.

3. Sliding doors are the easiest access point in to our home. Install vertical bolts to prevent them from being lifted off the track.

4. When you are away from home, for any reason, create the illusion that someone is home – use multiple programmable timers on multiple lights, radio and TV’s.

5. NEVER leave clues that you are away from home:

a. Have your mail and paper stopped or picked up by a friend or neighbor each day,

b. Have your lawn cared for on the same day you normally have it done,

c. Let the police know you’ll be away and for how long,

d. Never leave a message or voicemail announcing you are away.

6. Don’t hide a key! Criminals will find them, no matter how clever we think we are.

7. Keep your valuables in a safety deposit box.

8. Install low voltage exterior lights to minimize hiding places for criminals.

9. Be very careful and aware of what you are posting on social media sites!

a. DO NOT provide detailed personal information in your profile,

b. DO NOT post detailed information or pictures of your children – pedophiles use these sites too!

c. DO NOT post vacation, dinner or party plans until AFTER you are back home,

d. Employers, potential employers and the police use social media sites to learn about us, so do criminals!

10. Install and use a home security system.

The key to being safe is being aware of what is happening in your neighborhood. If you see suspicious activity or vehicles driving slowly, report this information to the police. Let your neighbors know what you’ve seen also. Consider starting a Neighborhood Watch Program.

What is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information, such as your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year.  In fact, you or someone you know may have experienced some form of identity theft.  The crime takes many forms.  Identity thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a telephone account in your name.  You may not find out about the theft until you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges you didn’t make—or until you’re contacted by a debt collector.

Identity theft is serious!  While some identity theft victims can resolve their problems quickly, others spend hundreds of dollars and many days, weeks, even months trying to repair the damage to their good name and credit record.  Some consumers victimized by identity theft may lose out on job opportunities, or be denied loans for education, housing or cars because of negative information on their credit reports.  In rare cases, they may even be arrested for crimes they did not commit.

How do thieves steal an identity?

Identity theft starts with the misuse of your personally identifying information such as your name and Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information.  For identity thieves, this information is as good as gold.  Skilled identity thieves may use a variety of methods to get hold of your information, including:

1. Dumpster Diving – They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.

2. Skimming – They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.

3. Phishing – They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.

4. Changing Your Address – They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.

5. Old-Fashioned Stealing – They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel records, or bribe employees who have access.

6. Pretensing  – They use false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources.

What can you do to help fight identity theft?

A great deal.

Awareness is an effective weapon against many forms identity theft.  Be aware of how information is stolen and what you can do to protect yours, monitor your personal information to uncover any problems quickly, and know what to do when you suspect your identity has been stolen.

Armed with the knowledge of how to protect yourself and take action, you can make identity thieves’ jobs much more difficult.  You can also help fight identity theft by educating your friends, family, and members of your community.  The FTC has prepared a collection of easy-to-use materials to enable anyone regardless of existing knowledge about identity theft to inform others about this serious crime. 

To learn more, please contact us at 480-213-7856.

Your Safety Is Our Top Priority!