Nothing is 100% effective in preventing crime, but an ounce of precaution goes a long way to prevent it. We would like to give you a few tips to think about. Some you may already be aware of, but you might find some you’ve never thought about. We hope these will help you.
Get to know your neighbors:
- Tight knit communities have a lower incidence of crime.
Exchange phone numbers, so you can watch out for each other:
- If you see a neighbor’s garage door open late one night or you see something suspicious, if you have their number you can call or text them to give a heads up.
Let someone know when you are out of town:
- Have a neighbor collect your mail, packages, and fliers to avoid them piling up, which is a sign to anyone driving by that you are not home.
- Have someone bring your trash cans in from the curb and place them behind your gate or in your garage for you.
- Recently a friend had left town only to return home to find their sprinklers had been running for over a week. Their home sustained thousands of dollars of damage not covered by insurance because it was outside water.
Keep doors and windows locked, even when you are home:
- Use deadbolt locks on doors, and lock gates going into your back yard. A carabiner can be an effective gate lock as long as it cannot be easily reached from outside the gate.
- Sliding glass doors and windows can be popped off the frame even if locked. Prevent this by placing a steel bar or wooden dowel in the track.
- Be sure to keep the door from your garage into your home locked, even if your garage door is shut. A determined burglar can find a way into your garage, and would then have access to your house if the man door isn’t locked.
Always create the illusion you are home, and remember crime can happen day or night, even when you are home:
- Leave a radio or television on for noise.
- Having a dog can be a deterrent to burglars.
- Put automatic timers on inside and outside lights.
- Park vehicles in your garage instead of the driveway whenever possible, and keep them locked. Do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
- Store lawn equipment, bikes, scooters, and tools out of sight.
Limit personal information you share on your mailbox, ornamental signs on the outside of your house, and social media:
- The more information you make easily accessible around your home or on the internet, the easier you make it for someone to steal your identity.
- Change up your daily routines and habits to make it more difficult for someone to guess when your house will be empty.
- Never hide a key outside; burglars are experts in knowing where to look.
- Take a video inventory of valuables, including serial and model numbers for insurance replacement.
- Don’t advertise that you have just purchased an expensive item by placing the empty box next to or partially out of your trash can; break down the box and place it completely within the container.
- If possible install an alarm system and cameras, including lights with motion sensors.
- Always keep your cell phone with you whether inside or outside your home in case of emergency, and use a lock code on your phone so not just anyone can pick it up and access the information it contains.
- Have your house numbers well lighted so emergency personnel can easily locate your home.
If you have other safety issues, good neighbor deeds, or want to know about what is going on in Tuscany, here are the links:
