CRIME PREVENTION
PERSONAL HOME SECURITY CHECKLIST
Burglary and other crimes often occur in homes. This survey has been designed to help you identify vulnerable areas in your home. Burglary is a crime of opportunity. If you can reduce opportunity, then you reduce your chances of becoming a victim.
Survey your home with the checklist below. Go through your home with this list carefully and systematically. Every NO check mark identifies a vulnerable area.
Keep your guard up and take a critical look at your home security every 3-4 months. Do not become lax or you may be a burglar's next victim. Remember, crime prevention is a community effort. Law enforcement cannot do it alone. Help us help you make your neighborhood a safer place to live. Why not start with your home?
SAFE PRACTICES
| Questions: | YES | NO |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Do you keep a list of valuable property? | ||
| 2. Do you mark your valuable property with your KS drivers license number? | ||
| 3. Do you have a list of serial numbers on your television, cameras, stereos, VCRs, etc.? | ||
| 4. Do you have a description, photos, or VCR tapes of other property that cannot be engraved? | ||
| 5. Do you avoid unnecessary display of your property by keeping your garage door closed or valuables away from open windows? | ||
| 6. Do you keep excess cash and other valuables in a bank? | ||
| 7. Are you organized so that you do not need to hide a key under the doormat or similar vicinity? | ||
| 8. Does your family know what to do if they discover a burglar breaking in or already in the house? | ||
| 9. Have you told your family to leave the house undisturbed and call the police if they discover a burglary has been committed? | ||
| 10. Do you have a security closet with a solid core door, pinned hinges, and deadbolt lock? | ||
| 11. Do you have 9-1-1 stickers or emergency phone numbers listed on your phone? | ||
| 12. Do you keep your door locked at all times, even when you are in the house |
EXTERIOR
| Questions: | YES |
NO |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Are your trees and shrubs trimmed to eliminate hiding places? | ||
| 2. Are lights installed around the perimeter of your house? | ||
| 3. Do you leave lights on in the front and rear of your home all night? | ||
| 4. Is your house number illuminated or easily visible from the street during all hours? | ||
| 5. Have you limited access to the second floor and roof by locking up your ladder and avoiding climbable trellises and drainpipes? | ||
| 6. Do you keep your side gate locked? |
DOORS AND ENTRY
| Questions | YES | NO |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Are your exterior doors of solid core construction? | ||
| 2. Do entry doors have a wide-angle viewer? | ||
| 3. Do exterior doors have cylinder-type deadbolt locks with at least a one-inch throw and beveled cylinder guard? | ||
| 4. Do the doors without cylinder locks have a heavy bolt or some similar secure device that can be operated only from the inside? | ||
| 5. Can all of your doors (basement, porch, French, balcony) be securely locked? | ||
| 6. Are your locks all in good repair? | ||
| 7. Are the door strike plates and hinges installed with three-inch screws? | ||
| 8. Do you know everyone who has a key to your house? | ||
| 9. Do all out-swinging doors have the hinges pinned or have non-removable pins? | ||
| 10. Are entry areas unobstructed by shrubbery and other decor to permit maximum visibility? | ||
| 11. Do your exterior lights have a minimum 60-watt bulb? | ||
| 12. Do sliding doors have an auxiliary lock that locks both the door panels together or active-side to the frame? | ||
| 13. Is the garage door secured with a padlock, hasp, or other good auxiliary lock, and can it be locked from both sides? | ||
| 14. Do you lock your garage door when not in use? | ||
| 15. Do you lock your car and take the keys out even when it is parked in your locked garage? |
WINDOWS
| Questions: | YES | NO |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Are all windows equipped with auxiliary locks or pinned, and are the locks properly and securely mounted? | ||
| 2. Have you replaced or secured louvered windows? | ||
| 3. Do you keep your windows locked when they are shut? | ||
| 4. Do you use locks that allow you to lock a window that is partly open? | ||
| 5. Do you have garage windows covered on the first floor? | ||
| 6. Do you have secure locks on your garage windows? | ||
| 7. Are you as careful of second floor windows as you are of those on the first floor? |
WHEN YOU GO ON A TRIP
| Questions: | YES | NO |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Do you arrange for neighbors or friends to pick up papers, mail, or packages? | ||
| 2. Do you notify a neighbor that you will be gone? | ||
| 3. Without creating too much visibility, do you leave some shades up or curtains open so that the house does not look deserted? | ||
| 4. Do you arrange to keep your lawn maintained? | ||
| 5. Do you have timing devices for your lamps ? |
YOU HAVE JUST TAKEN THE FIRST STEP TO A SAFER HOME.
If you checked some boxes "NO" and would like assistance correcting the problem, feel free to contact the Sheriff's Office for assistance.