Robbery is rapidly on the rise. When pro-active property owners take action by adhering to the simple steps outlined below, they not only secure their belongings, they play a key role in the communities response to stamping out the current security weakness criminals have identified and are actively capitalizing on.

Establish a Community Network
Establish open lines of communications with neighbors and businesses within your immediate area, especially those nearest to you.
Initiate or participate in local community events where security and watchfulness topics are common points of discussion. Neighborhood watch meetings, housing association meetings, even local business luncheons are all common and easy gatherings where community security can be discussed.
The key focus of these discussions is establishing an awareness to suspect happenings within the area. Establish simple lines of communication within the group where suspicious events can be reported and appropriate reactionary steps taken.
Burglars rarely burgle at random. They will generally “case” an area for a few days and nights first to gauge community awareness while looking for specific targets of opportunity. Within well networked and security conscious communities, these prowling thieves are rapidly identified and will often abandon an area when they become the subject of community scrutiny.

Eliminate tempting vulnerabilities
Identify and close obvious vulnerabilities in and around your home or business that may draw the attention of opportunistic criminals.
Open or unlocked doors and windows are the most common points of entry for observant criminals to gain fast access into a home or business and act as tempting attractors. Make it a habit of keeping all entry points shut and locked. Secure all doors with quality deadbolts and ensure the locks used on sliding doors and windows are substantial enough to resist moderate prying.
Within the home, avoid leaving valued items out in plain sight where visitors, hired help, or employees may be tempted to commit an easy-seize misdeed.     

Employ Theft Deterrents
There are a number of simple security improvements that function as great deterrents to any probing criminal.
Light the area around your property. Burglars prefer to enter a property in shadow and are far less likely to venture onto a well lit property. Set up timers for outside lights so they come on every night, or better still add simple motion activated lights into the mix. Available at any home supply store, motion activated lights are a proven psychological deterrent. Randomly timed lights within the home or business act as further deterrents to casing burglars, giving the impression of activity within.  
Watch dogs or even the placement of “Beware of Dog” signs also function as strong criminal deterrents.
A fence with closed gates around the property prevents casing criminals from getting close enough to spot areas of vulnerability. Criminals are also more hesitant to enter a gated area as doing so runs the risk of drawing unwanted attention by onlookers.      

Install a monitored security system
The installation of a professionally monitored alarm system is a tremendous deterrent, especially one that includes security cameras…even “dummy cameras” will suffice.
In the event of an actual intrusion, these systems prove invaluable.
Alarm systems are a must for high profile properties or those that present obvious burglary targets. Burglars that specifically target an attractive property generally work in coordinated groups that are far more persistent in their efforts. Even if an alarm is triggered, it’s common for this class of burglar to withdraw to a safe distance where they can observe and wait for a response. If there is no response, the robbers will re-enter once the audible alarm shuts down while a distant lookout provides early warning to any approaching security responder. For this reason, be sure your alarm system includes a respected monitoring center that can guarantee sensible response times.

Secure your valued belongings
Store all transportable items of high monetary or personal value in a strong burglary rated safe.
DO NOT store your valuables in an unrated, “RSC” rated, or fire only rated safe as these safe types provide inadequate burglary protection and will be compromised.
Placing valued items in an insubstantial safe simply provides the criminal with a conveniently organized location to acquire all your high value items quickly. “We receive heart wrenching calls on a weekly basis from recently robbed owners of popular safes that lost everything when the safe was compromised.” states Lynel.
Over 90% of today’s top selling safes do not provide sufficient burglary protection and are highly venerable to being forcibly opened within minutes by a simple hammer and crowbar.
Store your valuables in a safe with a minimum of a ½” solid steel door and ¼” solid steel walls.

BSM Public Relations Contact
Lynel Brown: (760) 233-2293
Fax:(760) 233-2297
Email: lynel@brownsafe.com