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on or step-off sensors, which trigger
alarms when a thief walks across a
carpet or lifts a valuable object like
a painting or statue, are used by
many collectors. Motion detectors or
electric-eye devices are used to pro–
tect limited areas-corridors leading
to master bedrooms or dens in
wh ich treasu red possessions are
stored.
Dog-Homeowner's Best Friend
One of the best burglar alarms,
however, is not electric or electronic.
Ever since the days of the wander–
ing herdsmen, the dog has been
man's constan! companion, and, be–
cause of his sharp hearing and sense
of smell, has helped protect bornes
from marauders by detecting their
approach and giving a warning.
Dogs still serve this purpose
today, and most thieves would
rather pass up a home where they
can see a dog inside. or hear one
barking 'and running around to in–
vestigate a noise outside. The aver–
age homeowner doesn't need a
specially trained guard dog. A
mongrel you ransom from the city
pound may prove more than a
match for the amateur thief. What–
ever you do, don't buy a trained
attack dog unless you yourself know
a great deal about animals; they can
be a menace to your friends and
family and even to yourself out of
all proportion to thei r value in home
security.
Avoid Handguns
Another security device that most
homeowners should !eave alone is
the handgun. Statistics show that
the ordinary citizen is five times
more likely to kili a member of his
family-or himself- than he is to kili
a burglar. Those aren't good odds.
It's a lot worse to bear the shock and
horror of accidentally shooting a
loved one than it is to put up with
the aggravation of a burglar. Nor is
it strictly legal to shoot a prowler.
Many a homeowner has been taken
to court and suffered financia! loss,
even prison, for shooting a felon.
Checklist of Precautions
To explain sorne of the simplest pre–
cautions against break and entry,
let's assume that you're leav ing
home for the store, or to briefly visit
14
l!tect
your
home with a siren or
bell alarm.
The noise itself
will
probably frighten the
burglar into beating
a hasty retreat.
a friend. Here's a checklist of things
todo:
1)
rr
you're going out after dark,
or won't be back until after night–
fall, leave at Ieast two lights on.
Make one of them the bathroom
light- people use their bathrooms at
unpredictable times. and a bath–
room light will convince most po-'
tential burglars that someone is at
borne and awake.
2) Turn on either the radio or the
TV to normal volume and leave it
on in your absence. If a prowler
approaches, he will hear this noise
and either think it's conversation
taking place inside, or that some–
body is listening to the radio or TV.
Habitual association of noise or mu–
sic with someone at home is so in–
stinctive that few thieves will bother
to investigate further.
3) l f you have a dog and it's
housebroken, give it the run of the
house so it can approach the scene
of any forcible entry and make its
presence known.
4) If you have a garage, and tak–
ing the car leaves it vacant, clase the
garage door so the thief can't see
whether or not there is a car inside.
A vacant driveway and empty ga–
rage advertises the fact that no one
is home.
T his checklist and a good set of
locks should make your house at
least reasonably safe. For longer
trips, there are added precautions:
5) Stop mail and newspaper de–
liveries. and milk if you get it from a
milkman. Or. better yet, make ar–
rangements with a trusted neighbor
to pick up your mail, newspapers,
and any leatlets Jeft at your door.
An overstutfed mailbox or a half–
dozen newspapers lying on the side–
walk advertises the fact that you're
not home.
6) Buy a couple of light timers–
they cost about $6 each-and pro–
gram two ofyour lights to turn on at
dusk and off around 11 p.m.
7) lf you're going to be away
more than a week, ask a friend or
neighbor you trust to have someone
mow your lawn. rake your Jeaves, or
shovel any snow that may fall.
These chores. if left undone, ca n in–
dicate to a burglar that you aren't
home.
Apartment dwellers should adapt
the same precautions to the ir own
circumstances. Proper use of lights
is especially important in apartment
houses. where a blacked-out apart–
ment can stand out like a knocked–
out tooth . The apa rtment dweller
picking an apartment with security
in mind can a lso do himself a favor
by considering which floor he moves
into: The safest are those above the
third tloor from the ground, or be–
low the top few tloors. Sorne thieves
come up from the street, while
others work from the rooftops
down-but relatively few thieves
choose to clamber around on the
The
PLAIN TRUTH May 1978