CRIME
PREVENTION
At
Your Cottage
Here
are some tips in an effort to keep your vacation property safe
year after year
Your home or vacation property could be a crime
waiting to happen.
Thieves
and vandals realise that chalets, cottages and hunting cabins
see
only seasonal use. A vacant full-time residence also can be seen
as
an
easy target for some opportunists.
Protecting your possessions (often expensive sports equipment,
firearms,
electronics and items of sentimental value) can present a
challenge,
especially in remote and heavily treed areas where
criminals
have little chance of being spotted. However, much can be
done
to hamper even the most determined crook.
Join
or form a neighbourhood association
One of the best ways to foil troublemakers is to enlist the
support of
neighbours.
Your neighbours can notify police whenever they spot
suspicious
activity around your property and you can return the favour
when
they are away. Many recreational areas have neighbourhood
associations
that work with police to help reduce crime.
They
can’t steal what isn’t there
If you residence is seasonal remove your most valued possessions
whenever
you plan to be away for an extended period of time.
Although,
this isn’t practical for larger items, firearms, small
electronics,
smaller outboard motors, ski and golf equipment and other
costly
belongings can be transported to your home without much
hassle.
Ensure drapes or blinds are drawn to obscure any valuables left
behind.
Lock
it up
Make accessing your property as difficult as possible by blocking
the
access
road or driveway with a sturdy, locking gate. Ensure your home
has
ample, heavy-duty locks on all potential entry points. This
includes
windows
and sliding patio-doors (a wood or steel dowel placed in the
track
will hinder the sliding motion). Use deadbolt locks on doors for
maximum
protection. If expensive recreational equipment such as
snowmobiles,
all terrain vehicles and boats are left behind, be sure to
disable
the engines and lock the vehicle to something larger and
heavier.
Alarming
noises
Burglars dislike noise: it attracts attention. Audible alarms are
recommended
over silent alarms and reliable alarms should include:
the home to alert neighbors of possible intrusion.
Some modern alarms will alert a dispatcher at a central office of
a
potential
threat to your property. The dispatcher can then, in turn,
alert
police once he has established that it is not a false alarm. This
type
of alarm is usually offered on a monthly or annually subscription
basis.
Decals (included with most alarm systems) that advise would-be
burglars
of an alarm system on the premises should be placed in
highly
visible spots on windows and doors.
Leave
your mark
A little forethought goes a long way. Use an engraver to
permanently
identify
your possessions. It is recommended to use your drivers
license
number, as this should contain up-to-date current
information
in regard to your name and address. Police have access to
this
information on a 24-hour basis should they come across your
property.
In addition keep a property-wide inventory complete with
serial
numbers. If the unthinkable happens and your recreational
property
is burglarised you will have some proof of ownership should
any
of the goods be recovered by police.
Appearance
Your cottage or home should always have the appearance of being
occupied.
Using motion sensors or timers for outdoor lights, as well as
timers
for interior lights can accomplish this. Having a timer on the
television
or leaving the radio on will also help deter possible burglars.
Winter
Closing Tips
Your cottage or home should be checked and secured at least once a
week.
Taking a trip out yourself or having a permanent resident check
on
it for you can do this. Valuables, as well as alcohol, should be
removed
during the winter months. Leaving this property visible inside
your
cottage could encourage someone to commit a break and enter.
Check
with your insurance company how often they require
your
property to be physically checked to ensure you have
coverage
if something goes wrong (e.g. Your furnace failing to come
on
and pipes freeze).
Sliding-Glass
Patio Doors
Sliding glass doors are vulnerable to
being forced open from the outside
because of inherently defective latch mechanisms. This can be
easily be
prevented by inserting a wooden dowel or stick into the track thus
preventing
or limiting movement. Other blocking devices available are metal
fold-down
blocking devices called "charley bars" and various
track-blockers that can be
screwed down.
Use a
secondary blocking device on all sliding glass doors.
Keep the latch mechanism in good
condition and properly adjusted.
Keep sliding door rollers in good
condition and properly adjusted.
Use anti-lift devices such as
through-the-door pins or upper track screws.
Use highly visible alarm decals.
Windows
Windows are left unlocked and open at a
much higher rate than doors. An
open window, visible from the street or alley, may be the sole
reason for
your home to be selected by a burglar. Ground floor windows are
more
susceptible to break-ins for obvious reasons. Upper floor windows
become
attractive if they can be accessed from a stairway, tree, fence, or
by climbing
on balconies. Windows have latches, not locks and therefore should
have
secondary blocking devices to prevent sliding them open from the
outside.
Inexpensive wooden dowels and sticks work well for horizontal
sliding
windows and through-the-frame pins work well for vertical sliding
windows.
For ventilation, block the window open no more than six inches and
make
sure you can't reach in from the outside and remove the blocking
device or
reach through and unlock the door.
In sleeping rooms, these window-blocking
devices should be capable of being
removed easily from the inside to comply with fire codes. Like
sliding glass
doors, anti-lift devices are necessary for ground level and
accessible
aluminium windows that slide horizontally. The least expensive and
easiest
method is to install screws halfway into the upper track of the
movable glass
panel to prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position.
As a deterrent,
place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch
mechanism that
indicates that an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation
identification
system is in place.
Secure
all accessible windows with secondary blocking devices.
Lighting
Interior lighting is necessary to show
signs of life and activity inside a
residence at night. A darken home night-after-night sends the
message to
burglars that you are away on a trip. Light timers are inexpensive
and can be
found everywhere. They should be used on a daily basis, not just
when
you’re away. In this way you set up a routine that your neighbors
can
observe and will allow them to become suspicious when your normally
lighted home becomes dark. Typically, you want to use light-timers
near the
front and back windows with the curtains drawn. The pattern of them
clicking
on and off should simulate actual occupancy. It’s also comforting
not to have
to enter a dark residence. The same light timers can be used to
turn on
radios or television sets to further enhance the illusion of
occupancy.
Exterior lighting is also very important. It becomes critical if
you must park in
a common area parking lot or underground garage and need to walk to
your
front door. The purpose of good lighting is to allow you to see if
a threat or
suspicious person is lurking in your path. If you can see a
potential threat in
advance then you at least have the choice and chance to avoid it.
Exterior
lighting needs to bright enough for you to see 100 feet and it
helps if you can
identify colours. Good lighting is definitely a deterrent to
criminals because
they don't want to be seen or identified.
Another important area to be well lighted
is the perimeter of your home or
apartment especially at the entryway. Exterior lighting on the
front of a
property should always be on a timer to establish a routine and
appearance
of occupancy at all times. Common area lighting on apartment
properties
should also be on a timer or photocell to turn on at dusk and turn
off at
dawn. The practice of leaving the garage or porch lights turned on
all day on
a single family home is a dead give-away that you are out of town.
Exterior
lighting at the rear of a home or apartment is usually on a switch
because of
the proximity to the sleeping rooms. The resident can choose to
leave these
lights on or off. Security lights with infrared motion sensors are
relatively
inexpensive and can easily replace an exterior porch light or side
door light
on single family homes. The heat-motion sensor can be adjusted to
detect
body heat and can be programmed to reset after one minute. These
security
lights are highly recommended for single family homes.
Use
interior light timers to establish a pattern of occupancy
Exterior
lighting should allow 100 foot visibility
Use
good lighting along the pathway and at your door
Use
light timers or photo-cells to turn on/off lights automatically
Be
a Good Neighbour
Good neighbours should look out for each other. Get to know your
neighbours
on each side of your home and the three directly across
the
street. Invite them into your home, communicate often, and
establish
trust. Good neighbours will watch out for your home or
apartment
when you are away, if you ask them. They can report
suspicious
activity to the police or to you while you are away. Between
them,
good neighbours can see to it that normal services continue in
your
absence by allowing vendors to mow your lawn or remove snow.
Good
neighbours can pick up your mail, newspapers, handbills, and
can
inspect the outside or inside of your home periodically to see
that
all
is well. Good neighbours will occasionally park in your driveway
to
give
the appearance of occupancy while you are on vacation.
Allowing
a neighbour to have a key solves the problem of hiding a key
outside
the door. Experienced burglars know to look for hidden keys in
planter
boxes, under doormats, and above the ledge. Requiring a
service
vendor to see your neighbour to retrieve and return your
house
key will send the message that someone is watching. This
neighbourhood
watch technique sets up what is called 'territoriality'
which
means that your neighbours will take ownership and
responsibility
for what occurs in your mini-neighbourhood. This
concept
works in both single family homes communities and on
apartment
properties. This practice helps deter burglaries and other
crimes
in a big way. Of course for this to work, you must reciprocate
and
offer the same services.
