Having been through all kinds of locking mechanisms and security devices, I have arrived at the conclusion that home protection is a thing that one needs to do themself. I’ve triple-locked my doors only to have break-ins come through the window. I’ve put bars on my windows and then have my car stolen from the driveway. And I’ve even chased off a thief from the area in the middle of the night. I never really felt safe until I bought both a gun and a dog with a deep growl and loud bark.
Since self-protection is where you need to start, the logical choice would be to find yourself top of the line locking mechanisms. I know. This goes without saying, but one time I bought a cheaper version of a lock and discovered one day how cheap it actually was after having locked myself out of my apartment. I was in my bed in less than five minutes. And I didn’t even wake up the neighbors. That was pretty quick. You know the bad guys are quicker than me. I went out the next morning and upgraded to a super deadbolt.
It’s easy to think the robbers are going to break down our front door and attack. But that never happens Bad guys don’t like drawing attention to themselves like that. He’s going to look for an open window or one that is easily jacked. He’ll typically slip in either when you and your family are asleep or when you’re not home.
Make sure you secure those windows. Most hardware stores have all sorts of locking mechanisms that are good for securing windows so check them all out and pick one that is going to do a solid job. Tightly secured windows are essential, but don’t try a do-it-yourself approach because you want to make sure you have a locking mechanism that will open easily in case of a fire. Easy exit is as important as difficult access.
A good way to get advice on securing your home is to ask the ones who are good at breaking into it. By far the best people at by-passing your security systems are the locksmiths. It‘s their job. Surprisingly, I asked my local locksmith how many times consumers ask him how they should secure their homes. He said, “Never.” He even said that he would be happy to help anyone who asked He knows how important it is and believes that some information is too important not to share. It turns out; most locksmiths feel the same way. Finding a locksmith to give you good advice is easy. Just search online I live in Brooklyn, NY so I just search locksmith Brooklyn, Brooklyn locksmith or locksmith NYC.
You can use all the locks in the world and get all the advice you want, but if you do not use common sense, then you are taking the biggest risk in home security. Be aware of your surroundings as much as possible. Walk with friends or neighbors whenever you can. Keep strict curfews for your kids. Try not to tempt burglars by leaving valuables lying around or your kids unattended. Above all, solicit the help of your neighbors. It goes without saying that you should do the same for them. An effective neighborhood watch program will do more to protect your loved ones than anything else.
We are hard pressed to think of something more precious than the security of our loved ones. There are plenty of high-tech and common sense tactics to achieving your security objectives. A big dog wouldn’t be such a bad idea either.
