Category: Crime Stats

Many burglars are smarter than you’d think. In fact, there are articles that feature career burglars giving homeowners advice to avoid being a target in the future.

While that information is in another article, below will feature ways you can spot when your home has become a target, and what you can do to prevent an intrusion.

1. Do you see a questionable car parked near your home that you know doesn’t belong to your neighbors or anyone visiting?

What to do:

• Use security cameras to keep an eye on traffic near your home to identify patterns and unusual behavior. Statistics show a criminal will most likely pass up your home if a camera is visible. They simply don’t want to get caught on video.
• Take notes: vehicle description, time of day, etc.
• Talk to your neighbors.
• Alert the police.

2. Do you notice strangers walking past your home more often? Do they appear to be lingering or scoping out the house and property? While not everyone that walk the neighborhood is a potential criminal, strange, unusual behavior could be suspect.

What to do:

• Use your security cameras to video foot traffic around your home. Again, place cameras where people can see them because they help deter criminals.
• Talk to your neighbors.

3. Do you see strangers going door to door from a “legitimate business or government agency”? Crafty burglars use this as a way to gain access to the home, discover your habits, ask questions about what systems you have in the house, see if there’s a dog, etc.

What to do:

• Never let anyone in your house that doesn’t have an appointment that you’ve confirmed previously. Not only is it a personal safety risk but it gives the stranger a chance to scope out your home for a future break-in.
• Ask for a business card and references. Call the business or references to ensure the person is legitimate.
• You aren’t obligated to open your door to a stranger. A better solution is to answer the door through your video doorbell. You can have a full conversation (and video it) from your kitchen or across town.

When it comes to protecting your home and family from danger, it’s always a good idea to be extra careful. While not every stranger you see is a threat, suspicious behavior can be a cause for concern. By being vigilant, and maybe a little paranoid, you can help deter potential break-ins.

For maximum protection, install a security system and integrate security cameras. Learn more here.

Are you moving into a new neighborhood? Do you want to keep informed of crime in your city? Look no further than SpotCrime.com to help.

What is SpotCrime?

SpotCrime is a public facing crime map and crime alert service. With SpotCrime, it’s easier than ever to check crime anywhere in the United States and many other countries worldwide.

You can easily look up city and county crime data and reports — all the way down to local neighborhood statistics. The daily crime maps shows crime in your city down to the neighborhood, zip code, or street level.

Is SpotCrime free?

SpotCrime is a free service. Their mission is to encourage public trust, increase police transparency, and promote public safety.

What types of crime do they report?

• Arrests
• Arson
• Assault
• Burglary
• Robbery
• Shooting
• Theft
• Vandalism
• Other

How does SpotCrime work?

Relevant crime data is collected from police agencies and validated sources, plotted on a Google map, and compiled into crime alerts.

How do I search a location?

Simply type in an address or location at the top of the homepage. You can also subscribe to alerts.

Another cool feature:

Click on “Submit a Crime Tip” to enter information you want to submit about a potential crime. It will be sent to appropriate authorities.

Don’t forget to check out the SpotCrime blog for tips and relevant information.

Protect yourself further with a security system for your home or business – from just $179. EMC Security’s alarm monitoring starts at just $16.95 with no contract.

With so many people anticipating a fun night of Halloween festivities, there will be an expected abundance of opportunities for burglars to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners.

An Opportunity for Thieves

Halloween offers the perfect cover for a would-be-thief. A burglar can dress up in a costume to conceal his identity, giving him free rein to check to see if homeowners are at home. You can’t expect your neighbors to suspect unwanted activity around your home when that’s what’s expected on Halloween.

Protect Your Home

A home security system will protect your home from burglars, and ward off teenagers who might try to vandalize your home on Halloween.

Integrate security cameras around your home and deter burglars. Youngsters who are looking for a good time will avoid houses with security cameras as much as burglars looking for a quick payday. Advertising the fact that you have this technology on Halloween will keep disorderly teenagers and burglars at bay.

If you’re a household that doesn’t partake in Halloween, a burglar might think you’re not at home when you don’t answer the door. This could potentially lead to an attempt to enter your home, which could result in a dangerous situation for you and your family. A home security system would alert you and law enforcement that someone is attempting to break into your home.

Halloween is just around the corner, so if you’re leaving your family vulnerable, it’s time to consider investing in a home security system.

Halloween is one of the nights of the year that children anticipate most — and with so much at stake, it’s easy to understand why. After all, when else do kids get to dress up as their favorite character, stockpile loads of candy, and venture past their bedtime?

Halloween Safety Checklist

As parents, you want your children to enjoy a ghoulie night of fun, but not at the expense of risking their safety. Fear not — we’ve put together the ultimate checklist for keeping tots, teens and everyone in between, safe on Halloween.

1. Remove tripping hazards

Halloween-goers are much too busy tallying up their candy to focus their attention on where they’re walking, so be sure to examine your lawn for potential hazards. Be sure your yard is free of tripping hazards like garden tools and sprinklers. If your home has a lawn watering system, be sure to turn it off a few days prior to the big night to prevent your lawn from being wet.

2. Avoid using candles

Festive lights make your home bright and friendly to treat-a-treaters but using candles to brighten a pumpkin can be unsafe. Costumes and paper can easily ignite if they come into close contact with an open flame. Instead of traditional candles, opt for artificial ones that are powered by batteries.

3. Consider candy choices

Buying candy is almost as fun as eating the leftovers, but keep in mind that not all candy is suitable for every child. Avoid sweets that pose a choking threat for toddlers and avoid treats that might trigger peanut allergies. Even if the candy doesn’t contain peanuts, it could be made in a facility that handles peanuts, so be sure to check product labels for any potential allergy warnings.

4. Turn on the lights

A vaguely lit entryway helps set the mysterious mood of Halloween, but it also raises the chance of an accident. Verify that theexterior lightsof your home are working and consider turning on floodlights to brighten the darkest areas of your yard.

Even if you’re not going to be home, leave on lights for safety reasons or make sure your motion sensor lights are active to deter unwanted visitors from vandalizing your home. And, if you won’t be there, make sure to arm yoursecurity system, just to be on the safe side.

5. Don’t put out candy

Perhaps you won’t be home on Halloween or maybe it’s challenging for you to answer the door, so you’ve put out a bowl of candy for treat-a-treaters to assist themselves. Understandably, this seems like a kind thing to do but someone could taint the candy. It’s probably unlikely, but it’s certainly not worth taking the gamble.

6. Make room in the garage

Statistics show that children are four times more likely to be struck by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year. As such, parking your car and trick or treating on foot is a good idea.

7. Use discretion when opening the door

Finally, while nearly all trick-or-treaters are innocent kids out to collect as much candy as they can possibly carry, you must still be cautious of opening your door during the night. If you have an uneasy feeling about the person on the other side of your door, listen to your instinct and don’t open it. And as the flow of trick-or-treaters dwindles to just a few here and there, it’s a good idea to stop opening the door for the night.

Halloween is celebrated as a frightening holiday, but that doesn’t mean it should be dangerous. Consider our tips and advice to keep trick-or-treaters and your family safe while enjoying a night of Halloween fun.

Let the Countdown Begin

With all the hustle and bustle of getting up and out on a weekday morning, it can be difficult to remember the kids’ lunches, let alone securing your home against unwanted visitors in your absence. With the clock ticking, it can be easy to make a dash for the car without so much as securing the front door in the midst of your haste! Needless to say, it only takes a moment of forgetfulness on your part for thieves to leverage this opportunity to their advantage.

Fortunately, EMC Security realizes that for many of us, time is as precious as home security and has thus devised this clever sixty-second checklist, meaning we don’t have to sacrifice security at the risk of running late!

T-Minus 60 seconds…

A window of opportunity – You would never leave your front door wide open so why the double standards for windows? An open window is an open invitation for would-be-burglars to access your home. Even windows located on upper levels of your home offer an opportunity for determined intruders to break in.

Take a moment to go around the house and shut tight any windows that might have escaped your attention, including conservatories and bathrooms.

T-Minus 40 seconds…

Ring the alarm – Did you know that only half of the homeowners with a burglar alarm actually activate it when they leave the house? If you’re a guilty party to this statistic, now is the time to recognize it and change! It only takes a moment to arm your home security system, which could potentially save weeks of stress and anxiety following a break-in.

T-Minus 30 seconds…

Secure the doors – Locking the front door is the most obvious form of protection against home invasions, yet 42% of people admit to routinely leaving their door unlocked, even when no one is home! It’s important to invest in high-quality locks or smart locks for true peace of mind.

T-Minus 20 seconds…

Spotlight on security – Ensuring proper function of your external security lights is paramount, as they play a major role in helping keep your home secure. Take a moment to test yours out as you leave the house; if the batteries need changing, add a note to your shopping list for that day.

T-Minus 10 seconds…

The last walkthrough – Before you jump in the car, make a habit of glancing up at your house as a whole. Lend a keen eye to any elements that might signal potential weakness to burglars and jot them down.

By keeping a physical list of items that require attention, it’s much more likely that you’ll get to them when you have a bit more time!

Most burglars tend to avoid the challenge of intruding a home that is protected while opting for homes with weaker security.

Nevertheless, once a burglar has gained access to your home, there are a few specific things that they are looking to steal. Here we take a look at what you need to consider as a homeowner or tenant, and how to counteract becoming a victim.

Unlocked Entry Points

When sizing up a property, most burglars are looking for the easiest way to get inside without being detected. Unsecured windows and doors act as open invitations for thieves to enter your home and increase the likelihood of a successful burglary.

Valuables in the Bedroom

Seasoned burglars are well are of the fact that most valuables are stored (or hidden) in the bedroom, and it is the first place that a thief will look for things like jewelry, small electronics, or potentially, sentimental items. And while a burglar won’t waste time trying to figure out the combination to your safe, they will take it with them if it’s small and not secured to the floor or wall, so don’t assume that your valuables are secure just because you’ve locked them away.

Cash Lying Around

Home intruders are looking for easy items to steal items with the highest cash value, allowing them to get in and out quickly. Cash and jewelry are the two things that are most likely to be taken first.

The main thing that will scare away a burglar is a solid home security system. If they gain entry and an alarm sounds it is more likely than not that they will leave immediately. For others, a home that has visible alarm systems, and intercom capabilities at the front door, is less likely to be targeted as the owners have taken their home security seriously.

If you would like to bolster your home security give EMC Security a call today and we can help put together a plan for your home.