Lock your doors and windows when leaving your residence.
Most residential burglaries occur during the daytime. Screen doors and chain locks provide false security. Secure your garage door, even when you are at home. Burglaries and thefts take minutes or even seconds to commit.
Know who is at your door before opening it.
Obtain identification. Consider installing 360 peepholes in all entryway doors. Don't open your door until you know who is there.
When you are not home, leave lights or the TV on.
Consider leaving porch lights on at night or putting lamps on timers. Lighting is one of the most inexpensive crime deterrents.
Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed for better visibility.
Keep window wells clear and free of shrubbery and debris. Overgrowth may provide hiding places for criminals.
Secure your keys and keep them out of view.
Never place identification tags on your key rings. Treat your garage door opener like your keys. Never leave your garage door opener inside a vehicle that is parked outside.
Get involved and know your neighbors.
Consider forming a Neighborhood Watch Group in your neighborhood. Contact the Altoona Police Department for more information. When leaving town, have a trusted friend or neighbor take care of your home. The police department also provides free home checks for Altoona residents who are on vacation.
Remove your keys and lock your doors when leaving your vehicle.
Don't leave extra keys inside the vehicle or under the hood. Secure your valuables in your trunk or take them with you. Don't create temptation by leaving valuables within view inside your vehicle. When returning to your vehicle at night, be aware of your surroundings Look underneath and inside your vehicle before entering.
Prior to installing home-security devices, think fire safety first.
Would the device prevent you from getting out of your home? Considering installing pet doors? They provide entry for pets, but they may also provide entry for criminals. Privacy fences give you privacy, but they also give the criminal concealment from outside view.
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