| When the topic of home security is approached | | | | day to day life. Take a moment to know who |
| your first thoughts may be of a fancy alarm | | | | lives next to you, above or below you. One |
| system with keypads, sirens, motion sensors and | | | | saying that comes to mind, that has been |
| monthly monitoring contracts. A system as | | | | expressed more openly since the terror attacks |
| described should definitely be part of the plan, but | | | | on our nation of September 11, 2001 "If you see |
| there are a few other things to consider as well. | | | | something, say something". Don't assume that |
| Things that will not cost you thousands of dollars, | | | | someone else will call the police about the stranger |
| have no monthly fees and can do just as much | | | | in your neighborhood, you do it, and do it without |
| to protect you, your family and your personal | | | | hesitation. |
| belongings. You may say to yourself; home | | | | Lock it up if you're not home, lock it down when |
| security? I don't even own a home, I rent an | | | | you are: Make sure absolutely, sure that you lock |
| apartment, or I live in a condo. Rest not, your | | | | your doors and windows and even garage doors, |
| home is the place wherever you lay your head | | | | even when your at home. One of the most |
| down to sleep, the place where you keep all your | | | | dangerous criminal enterprises of the last quarter |
| "stuff". You might not think that you could be a | | | | of a century is the "home invasion". If you don't |
| victim, that your "stuff" is not worth anything. | | | | know; this is when an individual or often times a |
| You would be mistaken. There are sick individuals | | | | group of individuals breaks into your home, |
| in our society that harm people for no reason, | | | | knowing all well that you're at home. That was |
| without provocation, that prey on anyone and will | | | | the plan to begin with. They will typically tie you |
| steal anything. They may be sociopaths or be | | | | up and get you to give them passwords and pin |
| suffering from some other mental disorder or | | | | numbers to your back accounts, credit cards and |
| chemical dependency. | | | | atm cards. You can also then tell them where all |
| Some areas appear to be safer than others if | | | | the valuables are (its easier for them than |
| you use reported crime statistics as a | | | | ransacking and searching your entire house). They |
| measurement. No neighborhood is completely | | | | will then usually steal your keys and car and be on |
| safe, even if you live next door to the police or | | | | their way. You will be truly fortunate if they don't |
| fire station. You may have a sense of security, | | | | kill you or do something worse. /p> |
| but it takes a little bit more to truly make your | | | | The home security system (alarm system), if |
| situation safer. | | | | you don't have one should be on your short list of |
| First and foremost: Know your neighbors, if you | | | | things to do, things to save up for. In the |
| have any, most of us do. One of the easiest | | | | meantime make sure that you are following the |
| things we as a society can do is to watch out for | | | | two simple principles outlined above. You owe |
| one another. In todays world many of us have | | | | yourself the peace of mind to feel safe in your |
| lost touch with our surroundings, working longer, | | | | surroundings. |
| busy with the never ending hustle and bustle of | | | | |