Home security tips

The Clayton Police Department has listed some tips and reminders for residents to make sure their homes are safe and secure from criminal activities.

Home Security

• Install a chain or a dead bolt on your doors and keep locked at all times.
• Install proper locks on all sliding glass or patio doors.
• Keep window locks in working condition and keep locked at night or when you are not home. Install and maintain working locks on doors and windows on all garages and sheds.
• If it is within your budget, have a home security system installed.
• Be aware that home invasions can occur anywhere and at any time of the day. Be cautious before opening your doors to strangers.

 

Lighting

• Keep outside lights in working condition and lit during the night.
• Emergency beacon lights for seniors are available for free at the police department.
• Maintain well lit outside areas and free of unnecessary vegetation.
• Keep bushes and shrubbery trimmed around your residence.
• If you return home after dark, leave your outside lights and inside lights on.

 

Communication

• Keep a bedside phone or cell phone.
• Keep your cell phone charged at all times.
• Keep emergency numbers next to every phone.
• Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you observe anything out of the ordinary or suspicious.

 

Vehicles

• Do not leave any valuables in vehicles parked on the streets and lock the doors.
• Before exiting your vehicle, scan your surroundings.

 

Valuables

• Store your valuables in a safe or a hidden place in your home.
• Engrave your driver’s license number on your valuables for purposes of identification, and make sure you have listed with your insurance company. A photo record of your items is recommended.

 

Preparedness

• Make sure you have a working flashlight and a battery-operated radio in your home in the event of power loss and storm emergencies.
• Make sure your smoke detectors are functioning and that you replace the batteries at each daylight savings time date.
• Purchase and install carbon monoxide detector.
• If you live alone, make sure the Clayton Police Department has your emergency contact numbers.  Senior Assisted Needs Notification Form
• Get to know your neighbors. Start your own neighborhood watch group and keep an eye out for each other.
• If you are going on vacation, let the police and your neighbors know. Property Check Form
  • Be careful about who you tell that you’re going to be leaving town.  It’s especially important to not talk to strangers about your trip.
  • Don’t call and have your newspaper or your mail stopped, because you don’t know who’s going to get that information.
  • Don’t let uncollected newspapers and mail pile up.  Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to pick them up for you.
  • Put lights outside your home on a motion detector.  A burglar can only assume somebody saw them and is calling the police.  That increases your safety factor by 50%.
  • Alarm company employees have sensitive information about you and your family.  Make sure the company you use screens their employees and does a thorough background investigation.
  • If you have an alarm, make sure it is on when you leave.