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Apartment Building Security
Alarms
Don't Display
Elevator Safety
Garage Safety
Home Security
Purse Snatching
Social Security Administration
Take a 2nd Look
The Illusion of Occupancy
Extra tips
Just in Case...
Purse Snatching
Telemarketing Scams & Frauds
Scams & Frauds Against Seniors
Senior Net
The nonprofit Senior Net provides adults 50+ access to and education
about computer technology and the Internet to enhance their lives
and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom.
Senior World Online
For active seniors in the digital age!
Social Security Administration
Medicare and Medicaid
Includes the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the State
Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the The Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).
AARP
Administration on Aging
The Older Administration Act -- lots of links to articles and
information.
Purse Snatching
Purse snatching is one of the few crimes were seniors represent a
greater proportion of those victimized. The best way to prevent
becoming a target is to not carry a purse. However, for many people
this is not practical. So if you are going to carry a purse here are
some tips to both reduce the chance that you get targeted for this
crime, and also to limit the damage if you are attacked.
Walk with your head up high and with a sense of purpose, since
attackers target those whom they consider to be easy prey.
Wearing the strap across your body makes it harder for an attacker
to take the purse of off you BUT if you are attacked it increases
the likelihood of injury.
Carry keys and identifying documents in your pocket, so that if your
purse is stolen the thieves can’t break into your house later on.
Do not carry large amounts of money if possible.
Home Security
Are there many things in your life more important to you than your
home? Not just the wood, nails and cement of its physical
construction, but all that it represents to you: your family, your
history, your accomplishments, your life.
With all of these things in mind, we have compiled a list of ideas,
regarding the safety and security of your home, that could help you
make your life a little easier, less worrying and a little better.
Many of these ideas have come from North American police departments
and communities similar to yours. Our hope is that the overall
picture provided by this page will help you with your home security
issues.
We’ve provided links to web pages of the groups who’s ideas we’ve
incorporated, in case after reading, you’d like to do some research
of your own.
Garage Safety
Garages are a favorite target because they often have other
valuables, such as power tools and bicycles in them.
Secure windows with bars or Plexiglas.
The door between your house and attached garage should swing inward,
be solid core and have a deadbolt lock.
Keep your garage locked, even when you are at home.
If the overhead garage door is roller and track operated, install a
lock in the track to block the roller and disconnect your automatic
garage door opener before you go on vacation.
Secure your other garage doors with deadbolts.
Install lights near your garage to keep the area lit. Also, leave
your headlights on until you park in the garage.
Consider having a remote control garage door opener installed, to
allow you to stay in your car until you're inside and the door is
secured, and be sure the overhead door closes completely after you
drive into or out of your garage.
Take a 2nd Look
Did you know that in almost half of all completed residential
burglaries, thieves simply breezed in through unlocked doors or
windows? So before we talk about these two very important parts of
home security, please do the most basic and important thing, keep
them locked!
Look at your yard and neighborhood areas from the burglar’s point of
view. Trim trees and bushes that could hide burglars. Pay particular
attention to trees growing near your house. Could a burglar climb a
tree to get onto the roof, and enter through an unlocked upper story
window?
Make sure emergency personnel can easily see your address from the
street, even at night.
Alarms
You also might want to think about installing an electronic home
security system. This is one of the most popular methods of
protecting one's home. But remember they do their drawbacks. The
vast majority of residential entry alarms are false.
An Alarm System is intended to detect a burglary, but will not
necessarily prevent one. A system is only as good as its user and
should be installed along with good physical security reinforcement
such as deadbolt locks, adequate lighting, secure basement windows
and strong exterior doors.
There are numerous alarm companies with various features from which
to choose an appropriate alarm system. When looking for an alarm
company, consider:
Asking for recommendations from friends with alarm systems or your
insurance agent.
How long the company has been in business.
The number of service facilities they have.
Do they possess adequate liability insurance and are their employees
bonded.
Obtain detailed quotes and system information from at least three
alarm companies prior to making a final selection.
You can also check further with the Canadian Alarm and Security
Association, the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer’s Bureau.
There are two types of alarms: monitored and unmonitored. The
disadvantage of an unmonitored alarm is that you rely on your
neighbors to call the police, which they may or may not do. False
alarms also waste valuable police resources and reduce the integrity
of the alarm system. The advantage is that you have to pay no
monthly fee. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure correct
operation of the system.
For a monitored alarm, however, bear in mind that it is possible for
potential thieves to circumvent some monitored alarm systems by
cutting the telephone wires before they enter the house. Speak to an
alarm company representative about obtaining a system, which does
not use the telephone wires to send its signal to the alarm company,
or consider installing a telephone line shield, which goes around
the telephone wire and is bolted to the house. All monitored alarm
systems are serviced by an intermediate private company prior to any
notification of Police.
Apartment Building Security
Unknown or suspicious persons trying to get in to the building
should be referred to the Management, Security or the
Superintendent.
Do not allow strangers to enter the building as you are leaving or
entering. Cooperate with all other tenants in keeping the main outer
doors locked at all times.
Do not buzz anyone into the building whom you weren’t expecting, or
do not know.
Use only your first initial on the lobby directory, doorbell,
mailbox, and phone directory.
Do not leave notes on your apartment door or on the lobby directory.
If keys are lost or if you move, locks should be changed.
If you see a stranger carrying items out of a neighbors apartment,
***CALL 911***
Elevator Safety
Look to see who's in the elevator before entering.
If there is someone in the elevator who makes you uncomfortable -
wait for the next one.
When in the elevator - stand beside the control panel.
If a suspicious person enters the elevator, exit before the doors
close
Extra Tips
If you have recently purchased a television, stereo equipment, or
other household item, do not throw the empty boxes in the alley
garbage.
Never hide keys outside, such as under a bush or in a flowerpot.
Burglars know where to find "secret" hiding places. It's much better
to leave a key with a trusted neighbor.
When in your back yard lock your front door and vice versa..
When in the home, it is a good idea to keep your doors locked.
Consider keeping your blinds/curtains closed at night because people
can see in and you can't see out.
Always lock up ladders and tools. Don't give a burglar the resources
to break into your home.
Window air conditioning units should be bolted to the wall to
prevent them from being easily removed from the outside.
When moving to a new residence, hire a reliable locksmith to re-key
all exterior doors. If possible, have the locksmith make the key to
fit all locks.
Keep emergency numbers near your phone for quick access.
Be cautious about providing any information regarding yourself or
your neighbors over the phone or in person.
Don’t Leave Irreplaceable Items Out
Irreplaceable items don’t have to be put in safes or safety deposit
boxes (although they’re both good ideas) but take a few minutes,
especially when you are going out, to remove valuables from plain
view. Put them in a closed cupboard or hide them under the stairs,
don’t leave them out in the open.
Just in Case...
Make a list of your valuables such as VCRs, stereos, computers,
jewelry. Take photos of these items, list their serial numbers and
descriptions. Engrave your electronics, bikes, and tools. This can
make it much easier for police to recover your belongings if they
get stolen.
If something looks questionable, such as a slit screen, a broken
window, or an open door - don't go in. Call the police from a
neighbor's house or a public phone.
Fewer than 3% of break-ins occur when someone is home. If you do
happen to surprise a burglar, it is best not to confront them as
they may turn violent.
At night, if you think you hear someone breaking in, leave safely if
you can, then call police. If you can't leave, lock yourself in a
room with a phone and call police.
If a crime has occurred do not touch anything or clean up until the
police have inspected for evidence
The Illusion of Occupancy
When on vacation, make sure that you leave your home in the care of
someone you trust and let them know where you can be reached in case
of emergency.
Arrange to have your mail and newspapers picked up, grass cut, the
leaves raked or the snow removed as necessary, and have a neighbor
check both inside and outside the house every few days. During the
winter, ask them to partially shovel the snow, or at least leave
lots of footprints in it.
Use timers on interior lights when you are going to be away or just
out for the evening. These can be set to turn
lights/radios/televisions on and off intermittently to give the
appearance that someone is home. This may seem like it would drive
up your electric bill, but in reality it only costs $0.75 per month.
If you have a clearly designated outside parking space (as is the
case in many townhouse neighborhoods), ask a neighbor to park their
car in your space sometimes. If you have a garage, keep the door
closed and locked so no one can see if your car is gone.
Turn the ringer on the telephone off, or set your answering
machine/voice mail to pick up on the second ring and do not leave
specific information about your absence.
Install security lights around the perimeter of your house. These
lights are relatively inexpensive and are great deterrents,
especially if they are set with motion detectors. If you have
existing lights without these sensors, there are even battery
operated add-on motion sensors on the market now that simply screw
into the existing light socket and mount near the fixture.
Do not leave notes indicating you are not at home.
Leave shades, blinds, and curtains in normal positions
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