PERSONAL SECURITY CHECKLIST
The most serious obstacles to personal safety are complacency and fatalism. To stay safe, assume more responsibility for your own security.
- Don’t leave your vehicle running unattended in your driveway to “warm up.”
- Don’t leave your garage door open, even for a few minutes and even if you are home. More than 30 percent of burglaries are related to open garage doors while the owners are home.
- Install additional sensor lights around your home and property; leave lights on all night long.
- Don’t leave a young child alone in a vehicle, even for a minute. If you witness a violation like this, call police right away and give the location, description, and license number.
- Buy a shredder, and use it. Shred sensitive material.
- Replace burned-out light bulbs and broken fixtures at your home.
- Photograph valuables such as jewelry and watches and keep these photos with your insurance info.
- Record serial numbers, purchase dates, makes and models of TVs, DVDs, and cameras. If you’re burglarized, this info will be placed in a nationwide data bank identifying the items as stolen property and with case numbers from the reporting agency.
- Lock your vehicle, even if it’s parked in your locked garage.
- Check your credit history annually. Regularly reconcile your bank accounts, and check your credit card statements.
- Record your license number and VIN and keep this info in your wallet, in case you need to report your vehicle stolen.
- Conceal registration and insurance information in your glove compartment. Vehicle burglars have been removing this information to use for identity theft.
- Store guns, expensive jewelry, and like items in a safe at home. Use a locked “security closet” to store valuables at work. This will deter criminals who are in a hurry to flee.
- Don’t leave items visible in your vehicle. Criminals target vehicles for a break-in when they see packages, purses, bags.
- Check your home locks. Make sure the screws in the door strike plates are at least 1.75 inches long and you have deadbolt locks with at least two-inch throws.
- Never carry your original Social Security card in your wallet. Instead, store it securely at home.
- Have an emergency disaster response plan at home and work. Contact your local fire department, Red Cross, or police about disaster preparedness.