Burglars bank on your blunders

With the nice weather upon us, we seem to fall into this mindset that the bad guys are in hibernation. Winter's over, the coast is clear, so lets throw open all the doors and windows. A burglary isn't going to happen to me, it's just too nice outside!

Although that may sound facetious, too many people have been traumatized by their own security slip-ups to warrant a laugh. Burglars bank on your blunders to succeed in their tainted world - a corrupt world which collectively works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. A world which sanctions thousands among us. These surreptitious thieves are males and females of all age groups and for the most part look like average hard-working citizens. They quite often blend into our neighbourhoods like swift-footed chameleons.

Don't give in to the selfish needs of an intruder by assuming it will never happen to you. These stealthy robbers will target anybody, anywhere at any time. Remember, your neighbourhood's not immune to thievery. Living in an upscale area doesn't mean you are exempt from practicing good security habits. Burglars don't care where you live, they only care about what you have.

The next time you have the urge to throw all your windows and doors open, remember that burglars don't work part time. It doesn't take a rocket science degree to figure out that we must be on guard at all times. That doesn't mean you have to stand guard at every open window and door. It simply means that you have to assess your living habits and make the necessary adjustments to ensure the utmost safety and security.

Adjustments that might mean installing security bars on your ventilation windows. Security bars are still the best window security you can invest in. Don't be frightened by the word "bars". Security bars or grills now-a-days are quite decorative and come equipped with fire-exit features to assure you and your family the utmost safety.

If you have a tendency to leave your front door open, you should consider a security gate. These decorative gates are installed in front of your existing door, assuring that the only thing entering your home is fresh air. These gates operate on a deadbolt similar to those found in most homes and can be keyed to your existing house key.

Sliding patio doors may need auxiliary keyed locks to allow you to lock them while open slightly for ventilation. Too many homes leave their sliding patio doors locked open on auxiliary locks that are not keyed. Don't allow a burglar to catch you off guard by fishing something through the door and opening the lock.

There is nothing humorous about becoming a victim of a burglary, so don't let the rationale of leaving doors and windows open on warm days triumph over common sense. after all, the only thing that makes sense is locking out the bad guys.