NORCAL Protection Services

• SECURING YOUR DOORS
• HOME SAFETY DURING VACATION
• SECURITY TIPS
• YARD MAINTENANCE
• MISCELLANEOUS
• INTRUDERS
• WINDOWS
• VALUABLES AND IDENTITY

Scroll down to read each section.

SECURING YOUR DOORS

Doors are there to let you in, but they should also be able to keep those you don’t want in out. You can use them make your home more difficult to enter. Remember, most burglars are opportunists, so they will simply bypass your home if it will take longer than they wish to spend to break in. Most burglars use the front, back, or garage doors. Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest point of entry followed by the back door. The garage and back doors also provide the most cover. Never keep valuables or car keys inside your cars, even when they are parked inside your garage. Use high quality locks on outside doors to resist break-in attempts. Look for stronger door knobs, like those that have a latch to prevent the credit-card entry tactic.

HOME SAFETY DURING VACATION

Vacations are a wonderful way to get away from the day to day grind, but worrying about your home security can add unnecessary strett to your getwaya.  Taking a few precautionary steps to assure your home security will allow you to concentrate on the sand and sun, not the state of your home.  If you are away from your home for an extended period of time, remember these security tips before you leave.

• Be careful who you tell when you plan to be away from your home. However, alert your neighbors to watch your home.
• Maintain your lawn before you leave or have someone mow your lawn while you are gone.
• Do not let deliveries accumulate. Have a neighbor pick up mail, newspapers and packages daily. If that is not possible, then stop deliveries so they do not pile up.
• Ask a neighbor to use your garbage cans. An empty garbage can is a tip-off that you are away.
• Leave your car in the driveway. This gives the appearance of an occupied house, and prevents burglars from backing up a van for loading.
• Don't leave keys under your doormat, flower pot or window ledge—intruders check these first.
• Use timers for lights, televisions and sound systems to turn them on and off at different times to give your home a lived-in look while you are away.
• Leave your blinds open or in the regular position.
• Stop the delivery of your newspaper.
• Lower the ringer of your telephone, so it can't be heard outside.
• Arrange for your lawn to be mowed or walk shoveled.
• Ask a neighbor to pick up circulars that are left on your door.
• Have your mail and packages picked up, forwarded, or held at the post office.
• Program a timed device to automatically turn on your lights, stereo or TV on and  off at appropriate times.

The easiest way to establish home security while you are not at home is to put on the pretense that you are.

SECURITY TIPS

You probably don't like to think about crime, but no matter where you live, your income or your lifestyle; crime is a fact of life. That doesn't mean you're defenseless, though. Put the following tips into action along with NORCAL Protection Services to help make your family and home safer and more secure.

• Keep Shrubbery Trimmed - Thick shrubbery and trees cover your windows, allowing burglars to work undetected. Plant thorny bushes around windows and walkways.
• Lock Up - While this might seem obvious, many people forget to lock the house completely. Make sure all doors and windows are locked when you go to bed or leave your house.
• Install Peepholes on all Exterior Doors - Always ask for identification from repair and service representatives. Never leave them in your home unsupervised.
• Be Sure Your Address is Visible From the Street - A visible address is vital in emergency situations. Install easy-to-read and illuminated numbers.

 YARD MAINTENANCE

• Use large, reflective numbers outside on the front of your home & mailbox to make it easy for NORCAL, police, fire and ambulances to find your house in case of emergency.
• Never store a ladder on the outside of your garage or home
• Never put your name on your mailbox. Anyone can look up your number, call, and find out you are not home.
• Always trim shrubs and trees so they don't provide cover and hiding for an intruder.
• Keep all points of entry to your home well-lit with the use of motion-sensor lights on the rear and sides of your home.

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS

• Get to know your neighbors as that is the only way for them to have a chance of noticing anything suspicious.
• Never share personal information with people you don't trust and be careful who might be listening when you talk in public.
• Often times, burglars will target the elderly, so be friendly & keep a watchful eye out for your elderly neighbors.

INTRUDERS

A number of things can be done to help to ensure home security. First and foremost, you need to understand how a burglar thinks. Light, time, and noise are an intruder's worst enemies. Your home won't be considered an easy target if a burglar has no option but to work in a well lit area, if the break-in will take a lot of time, and if he can't work in peace and quiet. Darkness and shade offer protection for an intruder and an excellent breach in your home security. Sure, privacy fences and ornate shrubbery look good and offer privacy for your home, but they also offer privacy for criminals. Consider trading a little extra privacy for a bit of added home security. Force any would-be burglar to confront a real enemy--light. 

WINDOWS