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1115 Locust Street, 4th Floor
St. Louis, Missouri 63101
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(888) 231-0970 (toll free)
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Most feel they are safest
in their home. But you must rely on yourself to ensure the integrity
of your castle. You have to limit access to those determined
to test the access points of your home.
- Routinely check all access
points to your home: windows, doors, basement access, garage
doors. Garage doors are typically left open, unlocked or are
simply weak as a security measure. They often provide access
to the rest of the house through an interior unlocked door.
Always lock the interior garage door to the house, even if
you think your garage door is secure.
- Use high quality locks and strike plates on doors
to prevent kick-ins and pry bars.
- If your room is equipped with a sliding glass door,
make sure there are secondary locking devices, such as a "Charley
Bar," pin-locking mechanism or anti-lift device to prevent
the door from being lifted out of its track.
- Use motion detecting lights in the front and back
of the house. Mount the fixtures out of reach of someone on
the ground. If you will be gone for any significant period
of time, use light timers.
- Dogs, dogs, dogs. I spoke with a North Carolina Sex
Crimes investigator who told me in his 15 plus years investigating
sex crimes, he had never investigated one in a dwelling where
there was a dog. They remain the best alarm of all.
- The hidden key is still a common method of entry
for criminals. If you must hide a key, do not do so in the
typical locations.
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