Survey your home with the checklist provided below. Every "no" check mark shows a weak point that may help a burglar. As you eliminate the "no" checks, you improve your protection.
Go through this list carefully and systematically. If you have security weaknesses, take some time and make each "no" a "yes".
Remember, this checklist only points out your weak areas. You are not protected until these are corrected. Complying with these suggestions will not, of course, make your property burglar proof, but it will certainly improve your protection.
| SAFE PRACTICES | YES | NO |
| 1. Do you keep a list of all valuable property? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 2. Do you have a list of the serial numbers of your watches, cameras, typewriters, and similar items? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 3. Do you have a description of other valuable property that does not have a number? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 4. Do you avoid unnecessary display or publicity of your valuables? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 5. Do you keep excess cash and other valuables in a bank? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 6. Do you plan so that you do not need to "hide" a key under the door mat or similar vicinity? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 7. Have you told your family what to do if they discover a burglar breaking in or already in the house? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 8. Have you told your family to leave the house undisturbed and call the sheriff or police if they discover a burglary has been committed? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 9. Are your trees and shrubs trimmed to eliminate hiding places? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 10. Do you have a security closet with a solid core door, pinned hinges, and deadbolt lock? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 11. Do you have emergency telephone numbers listed on your phone? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 12. Are lights installed around the perimeter of your house? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 13. Is your house number illuminated and easily visible from the street during all hours of the day? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 14. Have you made it more difficult for the burglar by locking up your ladder, avoiding trellises and drainpipes that can be used as a ladder for access to the second floor or roof? | [ ] | [ ] |
| WHEN YOU GO ON A TRIP |
| 15. Do you arrange for neighbors or friends to pick up papers, milk, mail, packages? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 16. Do you notify a neighbor? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 17. Do you notify your police/sheriff? (They provide vacation checks of homes in some jurisdictions.) | [ ] | [ ] |
| 18. Do you leave some shades up or curtains open so the house doesn't look deserted? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 19. Do you arrange to keep your lawn maintained? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 20. Do you have timing devices for your lamps? | [ ] | [ ] |
| DOORS AND ENTRY AREAS |
| 21. Are your exterior doors of solid core construction? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 22. Do entry doors have a wide-angle viewer? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 23. Are your door locks secure from being opened if a burglar breaks out glass or a panel of light wood? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 24. Do exterior doors have cylinder-type deadbolt locks with a least a one-inch (1") throw and beveled cylinder guard? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 25. Do the doors without cylinder locks have a heavy bolt or some similar secure device that can be operated only from the inside? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 26. Can all of your doors (basement, porch, French, balcony) be securely locked? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 27. Do your basement doors have locks that allow you to isolate that part of your house? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 28. Are your locks all in good repair? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 29. Are the door strike plates installed with three-inch (3") screws? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 30. Do you know everyone who has a key to your house? (Or are there some still in possession of previous owners and friends?) | [ ] | [ ] |
| 31. Do all out swinging doors have the hinges pinned or have non removable pins? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 32. Are entry areas unobstructed by shrubbery and other decor to permit maximum visibility? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 33. Does the porch light have a minimum 60-watt bulb? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 34. Do sliding doors have an auxiliary lock that locks both the door panels together or active side to the frame? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 35. Is the garage door secured with a padlock, hasp, or other good auxiliary lock? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 36. Do you lock your garage door at night? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 37. Do your lock your garage door when you are away from home? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 38. Do you lock your car and take the keys out even when it is parked in your garage? | [ ] | [ ] |
| WINDOWS |
| 39. Are all windows equipped with auxiliary key locks or pinned? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 40. Have you replaced or secured louvered windows? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 41. Are your window locks properly and securely mounted? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 42. Do you keep your windows locked when they are shut? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 43. Do you use locks that allow you to lock a window that is partly open? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 44. In high hazard locations, do you use bars or ornamental grilles? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 45. Do you have good, secure locks on garage windows? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 46. Do you have garage windows covered with curtains? | [ ] | [ ] |
| 47. Are you as careful of basement and second floor windows as you are of those on the first floor? | [ ] | [ ] |
If you would like professional advice and assistance in a thorough home security inspection, call your local law enforcement agency. To keep your guard up, take a critical look at your home security every three to four months. Do not become lax-crime prevention is a continuous process.
