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Archive for Security Products
Are you inviting someone to rob your home?
Posted by: | CommentsIf you think installing some antivirus software is all it takes to protect yourself during your online activities, you might want to think again.
Facebook and Twitter are fun tools for social networking but it’s amazing to see how many people are completely careless when updating their status.
When you’re on the computer talking with friends and family on Facebook, being a victim of a robbery is probably the farthest thing from your mind, but it shouldn’t be.
Are your privacy settings configured so that only friends can see your status updates and information?
If you have hundreds of followers or friends do you know each of them on a personal level? Or are some of them just friends of friends?
If your status updates are viewable by just anyone and you have your hometown on your profile along with photos of your home, how long do you think it would take someone with ill intentions to find your property?
How long would they have to wait for you to post a status update telling the world that you’re going shopping or on a five day vacation?
I see this all the time – people counting down the days until they go on an extended trip or telling their “friends” how long they’ll be out running errands.
Meanwhile, I can look at their photos and see what their home looks like from the outside and interior photos give me a good idea of the contents of the home as well as how the house is laid out.
This combination is asking for trouble.
The same goes on Twitter though it’s not quite as dangerous because of the amount of information you may be sharing in comparison to Facebook where many people provide their phone number, physical address and even their children’s names. That’s giving a bad guy an awful lot of information.
Our locksmith shop in Berkeley carries a variety of security products that can help protect your home but you should try not to invite a burglar right into your home by telling them when you’ll be gone!
Don’t fall victim to a Distraction Burglary
Posted by: | CommentsThe easiest and least expensive way to protect your home goes back to one of the first pieces of advice your parents gave you – don’t open the door to strangers.
Maybe you’ve heard of distraction burglaries before and maybe you haven’t. But it’s very important that you get yourself educated about this type of crime used by the lowest of the lowly perpetrators to gain entry into a home.
When a distraction or trick is used on the person answering the door to gain access to a home with the intention of committing burglary, that’s known as a Distraction Burglary and it’s happening more often than you would think.
The most likely victim of such a crime is usually a woman over the age of 78, living on her own. Often, the victim doesn’t even realize anything was stolen until well after the crime actually took place.
Imagine an unsuspecting elderly woman opening the door to someone she believes is a nurse, a gardener, utility personnel, delivery person or even a police officer who is actually a thief there to take advantage of her good nature.
These types of burglars are known as “bogus callers.” A legitimate caller should have some type of official-looking ID and any relevant paperwork you’d expect a professional to have with them.
Here are some very important tips concerning doorstep safety to keep in mind for yourself and also to pass along to your children and elderly family members or acquaintances.
- Ask why the person is at your door and if their story does not add up, close the door, lock it, and call the company they claim to represent.
- Ask for ID and paperwork. You should have your chain pulled across and ask them to pass the papers through to you before you unlock the door.
- When you’re answering the front door, make sure the back door is locked. These burglars often work in pairs and while the victim is busy at the front door, their accomplice is sneaking in the back.
- Don’t keep large sums of money in the house. Same goes for valuables. Investing in a small safe is a good idea.
- Keep all of your documents with personal information on them out of clear sight. Someone can get enough information about you from your passport, utility bills and bank statements to steal your identity.
- Never keep your keys on display. Keep them somewhere a thief would have to search hard for to find, but somewhere easy for you to remember where they are!
- When in doubt simply do not open the door.
If you think you have been victim of a distraction burglary, call the police as soon as possible.
In the meantime, if you live in Berkeley or a surrounding area, stop by our locksmith shop at 1908 University Avenue to look at the wide range of safes we have available. Our experts will help you decide which option is best for you.