Do you lock your doors?

How secure is your home? A survey of 1000 Americans across the country conducted by SafeHome.org discovered that only 54% of the participants regularly locked the doors to their homes.

As I do with each of my books, while I was writing Ten Two Jack I did a ton of research.

A while back I wrote about a growing trend in car hacking using a keyless entry. You can read about it here. Today, we’ll be taking a more in-depth look into the world of breaking and entring.

According to Eyewitness Surveillance, there are 2.5 million home invasions each year in the US. That breaks down to a home being burglarized every 13 seconds. That’s a little scary, isn’t it?

For some intruders, breaking and entering is as simple as knocking on a door and then turning the knob to see if no one is home. An unlocked door makes an intruder’s entry quick and easy and, best of all, draws little attention.

It’s estimated that around 30% of home invasions could be prevented if doors had been locked.

Of course, a locked door will rarely deter a professional burglar.

While a padlock may scare off a novice, a professional criminal comes prepared with tools and equipment to bypass such security measures. However, by locking your windows and doors you are creating diversions that will cost burglars valuable time and increase the risk of them getting caught.

TV shows often demonstrate bad guys shooting locks with a gun. It turns out this is not nearly the most effective method. With the right knowledge, most locks can be dismantled faster and easier (and quieter!) with large screwdrivers, wrenches and bolt cutters.

While break-ins may seem random, there are certain precautions you can take to make your home less appealing to criminals. One of the main ways to protect yourself and your belongings is to avoid posting on social media while you are on vacation. Many burglars are increasingly turning to Instagram and Facebook to scout out their victims.

Here are some ways to protect yourself from home invasion.

  • Always secure your windows and sliding doors with locks, or by placing a stick or long object in the track of your sliding doors or windows. This prevents anyone from opening sliding doors and windows from the outside.
  • Install a strong windowless door with a good deadbolt. This is the key component to protecting yourself and your home. There’s no point investing in a good padlock if your door can be knocked down with a swift kick. Solid wood or reinforced steel doors are both good options.
  • Shrubs or other foliage located near doors and windows create an ideal hideout for criminals who are scouting out your property and are best avoided. 

Read about how a home invasion was key to an arrest in “Gone Girl” case.

My readers know that I’m dedicated to writing stories that are believable as well as exciting. Do you enjoy reading fiction about realistic crimes and how clever investigators solve them?

If so, you might enjoy my latest thriller, Ten Two Jack. Learn more about it HERE!

Meanwhile —

Caffeinate and Carry On!

Diane Capri

p.s. Are you a member of the Diane Capri’s Exclusive Reading Group mailing list? It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up and refer your friends, too. You’ll be glad you did, I promise. Can’t wait to see you there!

 

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