Volunteers are at the Carlington Community Police Centre in the Westgate Shopping Centre to assist you on:
Weekdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ~ Wed. & Thurs. evenings: 6 to 9 p.m. ~ Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Drop in at the Centre or contact us by telephone at 236-1222 (extension 5814 or 5815). Constable Bruce Marshall oversees the Centre's activities and can be reached at extension 5816. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, drop in and complete an application form.
PROTECTING YOUR HOME AGAINST BURGLARY
In the last issue of the Summit, I provided you with the first part of a checklist to assess your vulnerability and to reduce your risks. Here is the second part of that checklist. Remember to go through it twice, once during the day and again at night, to see where your security could be improved.
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Have you taken precautions to ensure that your sliding patio doors cannot be lifted out of their tracks or pried open?
Are all screws, fasteners etc. for the tracks and frame on patio doors inacces sible from the outside? Sliding patio doors are common points of entry for burglars. Most sliding patio doors have locks that hook into the frame. They can be pried open, cut or unhooked. To compensate for this lack of effectiveness, manufacturers have produced add-on security devices, such as jimmy plates, safety bars and auxiliary locks, which, along with the lock, can provide a deterrent.
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Is your hardware locks, latches, handles, hinges, strike plates durable and securely installed?
Good quality and properly installed door hardware is essential to securing entrances.
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Does your front door have a viewer?
The viewer should be of good quality to minimise distortion, allowing you to recognise visitors without opening the door. Also, ensure that the entrance is well lit. Door chains are an alternative, but most can be easily forced.
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Do you have good-quality basement windows with adequate locks and solid frames?
Do the basement windows have break-resistant panes or are they protected with security bars or decorative security grills? Basement windows are also common points of entry for burglars.
Because they are so close to the ground, they are easily accessible and burglars can often break in undetected by hiding where windows are shielded by shadows, cars or shrubbery.
Assessing your home's security is the first step in crime prevention. If you answered “NO” to any of the questions, your home security may have a weak link that a burglar may exploit. Look in next month's Summit for additional security tips. If you would like trained volunteers to assist you in conducting a security evaluation of your home, contact us at the Police Centre at 236-1222 (extension 5814 or 5815). If you would like a trained volunteer to address your group (in English or in French) on home security, personal safety and protection against fraud, contact Louis Tremblay at 722-3699.