Prowler proof

Ebony, June, 1995

THEY read newspaper obituaries and wedding announcements to find out when you'll be away from home and they'll even stake out your house, to see when you leave for work, church or to take your child to basketball practice.

Indeed, today's burglars are smarter than ever, and some are so good at ripping you off, they're no longer satisfied taking a few items and leaving. Some families have returned home from vacation to find their house literally empty-everything from furniture to the refrigerator gone.

Home burglaries increase 50 percent during summer months, when families take vacations, leave windows open and generally are less carefull. Most people don't think they'll be victimized, says Willis Shannon, an 18-year crime prevention expert with the Chicago Police Department. "Burglary is a crime of opportunity," says Shannon, who even had his house broken into a few years ago. "But there are common sense things that I should have done and that homeowners can do to decrease that opportunity and reduce the chance of becoming a victim."

While there are numerous hi-tech security items you can buy to protect your home, just as important are the simple steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim. Probably the most significant thing to remember, Shannon says, is to be "systematically unsystematic." Doing the same thing at the same time every day will let a burglar learn your routine and strike when you're not home. But at the same time, it's important to be methodical in practicing good safety habits, such as always keeping windows and doors locked when asleep or away from home.

If you're going on vacation, here are some of the things experts say you should do to decrease the chance your home will be burglarized: stop mail and newspaper delivery, get a neighbor to retrieve flyers and newspapers from your home and check it periodically; plug lights and television into a timer, and don't leave a message on your answering machine or a note on the front door, saying that you're on vacation.

But sometimes using common sense is not enough. Shannon says it's always a good idea to invest in a good deadbolt lock, a good door, a good door frame and a good home alarm, all of which are relatively inexpensive. "The biggest misconception people have is putting a value on safety. You figure if you pay more for burglar tools they will protect you better," the officer says. Cost "has nothing to do with safety. That's false, a myth."

Here are some safety tips: if you have a double-keyed door, keep keys nearby, but don't leave them in the lock; get a weighted safe deposit box to secure items that can't be replaced; consider erecting a chain-linked fence (at least six feet tall) around your yard to provide an extra barrier and allow others to see onto your property; consider acquiring a good barking dog that will scare off intruders and alert you or the neighbors that something is wrong; install a good deadbolt lock with at least a one-inch throat, into a solid wood or steel door that fits securely into a sturdy frame, and engrave your driver's license number and state of residence on property to give police a way to contact you if your home is burglarized and the stolen items are later found.

Shannon also says it's a good idea to ask your local police department to send out an officer to inspect your home and point out ways you can better secure it.