This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

1. Turtle Theft

Burglars can lift heavy televisions and sneak out of homes with heavy electronics. Burglars are even known to steal pets. A pet store in Delaware was hit by a burglar who not only had a fascination with animals but could also lift heavy objects. This burglar didn’t steal a 50 pound bag of dog food, though. He stole a 50 pound African Sulcata tortoise. The tortoise, known as Roger, was outside the pet store chewing on grass when he was stolen. Roger had lived at the pet store for 16 years and many customers visited the store just to pet him. The store owner said, “Everybody is going to miss Roger. They’re going to be as sick to their stomachs as I am.”

2. An Extra Scoop of Ice Cream

The sound of ice cream trucks attracted not only kids with loose change but burglars as well. Within one week, three trucks belonging to Frosty Treats were broken into. The manager of Frosty Treats believes the burglars broke into the trucks by breaking a small window and using a stick to unlock the door. After opening the door, the thieves emptied the trucks. The burglars have stolen over $400 in ice cream.

3. Stolen Snake and Lizard

At 3:50 a.m. two burglars broke into a pet store and stole a 1.5 meter long python and a lizard. They stuffed the lizard into a pillow case and carried the python out of the store. The next night at 10 p.m. the burglars wrestled the python in front of customers at McDonald’s. Police were called and the two burglars were arrested. The python was returned to the pet store but the lizard has not been recovered yet.

4. Stolen Pizza

In Lake Worth, Florida, a 17-year-old was delivering pizza when he was robbed. He had received a phony customer’s address, and when he arrived at the vacant home to make the delivery, two burglars surprised him. The deliveryman said, “As I’m knocking on the door, two people come from the side and put two guns to my head. They put me down to the ground. They take my money, they take my phone and they also take the food.” The burglars made off with a lot more than the pepperoni pizza they had ordered.

5. Bacon Burglary

A man broke into a home between 2:50 a.m. and 3:40 a.m. on a Saturday morning. The homeowners slept through the break-in and found bacon hanging over the front door’s handle in the morning. The burglar stole only two items: a telephone and a packet of bacon. The detective in charge of investigating the case said, “This is a very peculiar burglary as the suspect placed a rasher of bacon over a door handle before leaving the property. The victims are at a loss to understand why someone would break into their house and steal a packet of bacon and we are equally stumped.”

Sources:

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100913/NEWS/100913024/Have-you-seen-Roger-the-missing-tortoise-

http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/103319994.html

http://heidelberg-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/preston-mcdonalds-patrons-confronted-by-slippery-customer/

http://www.wpbf.com/r/24923664/detail.html

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2077957_residents_left_feeling_pig_sick_by_bacon_burglary

Photo Sources:

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/reviews-tests/ghri-favorite-summer-products

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/usa/pages-3/Pizza-harassment-becoming-epidemic-across-US-Scrape-TV-The-World-on-your-side.html

This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Joe Ryan opened a bill from his hospital saying he owed them $44,000 for a surgery. The only problem was he’d never gone to the hospital for the surgery. He didn’t have any scars that surgery would have left behind, he didn’t miss any work, but the hospital insisted he owed them money. He had become a victim of medical identity theft and his credit was ruined.

Medical identity theft is an increasing problem for families in America. It is the fastest growing kind of ID theft. Estimates show that 250,000-500,000 people fall victim to medical identity theft every year. On average, the theft costs the victim $20,160 and can lead to a loss of coverage or a destroyed credit.

Anndorie Sachs, a mother of four in Salt Lake City, became of victim of medical identity theft when her driver’s license was stolen by a drug abuser. The drug abuser also found Sach’s medical records. She checked into a hospital using Sach’s identification, had her baby and used Sachs’s insurance to pay the bills. Sachs didn’t know about the theft until she received a call from the hospital saying her baby had tested positive for methamphetamine. “I said I had not recently had a baby, that my youngest were 2 years old,” Sachs recalled. She told them, “Come meet me and you’ll know that I didn’t just have a baby.” Convincing investigators that she was a victim of medical identity theft was no easy task, though.

Medical identity theft can cost more than just money. It can cost a life. When medical records are stolen, they are often altered. Blood types are changed, medicine you may be allergic to disappears from your records and previous surgeries are erased. If you are suddenly rushed into emergency surgery, you and your doctor may not catch these mistakes before it’s too late.

To prevent medical identity theft, watch your credit report. Pay attention to the medical debts listed, large or small, and make sure they belong to you. Examine explanations of benefits from your insurer. If something is incorrect or doesn’t belong, contact your insurer. Request a record of the benefits that have been paid for under your name once a year. Do not ignore any statement you get that isn’t yours – even if it says you don’t owe money.

Sources:

http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Guest_Columnist_710/Preventing_Medical_Identity_Theft.shtml

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/medical-identity-theft-protect-identity/story?id=10047398&page=1

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2. How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft This post is originally authored at the home security blog...
3. Identity Theft: A Problem for College Students This post is originally authored at the home security blog...
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This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

When it comes to home security and keeping burglars out of your home, you may automatically think about installing an alarm system. Home security systems are effective, but sometimes burglars still get by them. Security systems might also be too expensive. Jordan Frankel, a home security expert, gives advice to homeowners that are unable to install a security system and homeowners that want to do more to add to their home security.

Frankel has worked as a security consultant for almost twenty years. As a security consultant, he has invented products such as a kick-proof plate for doors that deter burglars. He has gained a wide range of knowledge, and he now travels throughout the nation to train officers and counsel neighborhood associations. As he speaks to a variety of people and organizations, he stresses that home security doesn’t have to be expensive.

In an interview with a reporter at the Gwinnet Daily Post, Frankel advised homeowners to keep plants along the walls of a home or along a fence trimmed. Overgrown plants can offer a hiding spot to burglars so they can be concealed while planning an attack. Frankel also said that phone wires should be hidden. “You want to hide those wires,” he said. “You want to mask them with some kind of façade. That’s very key.” These wires are usually at ground level and easy to cut. If a burglar cuts the wires, it can prevent phone calls for help and can disarm alarm systems.

An unusual but effect tip is leaving a men’s pair of large boots on the doorstep. The boots can be a cheap, used pair from a Goodwill store. Leaving a water bowl on the doorstep can also deter burglars. Even if you don’t have a dog or no man lives in the house, leaving a water bowl and a pair of boots can make you look less easy to rob. Frankel said, “It serves as a psychological deterrent. You now become less of a target and they want to skip your house.”

Another home security tip is using a combination of motion and perimeter lighting. “Most Americans think that having perimeter lighting is imperative,” Frankel said. “By having lights on all the time, the criminal can see their way around. Motion-detection lighting will startle the intruder.” Lastly, he recommends removing factory screws from door hinges and using longer screws that are 2.5 – 3 inches long. Longer screws will reinforce the door hinge and make it harder to kick in a door.

Using any of these home security tips can help deter burglars and stop home invasions. Frankel believes that home invasions and home burglaries are increasing due to bad economic times. “The economy is so bad,” he said, “the typical home invader is now stealing items and cash to put food on their own table.” He recognizes that FBI data shows crime decreasing nationwide, but he thinks this will not continue because of hard times. Frankel said, “This is not something our government and law enforcement typically wants to report, because it’s such a violent crime. With victims there is such a psychological, brutal trail left behind.”

Source:

http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/home/headlines/103803184.html

This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Identity theft is becoming more and more common because of the increased use of social networking sites, file sharing networks and even mobile devices. A recent study shows that the group most at risk for identity theft is young adults ages 18 to 24. Most of the time, they will have their private information stolen by someone close to them such as a friend or family member. This “friendly fraud” costs an average $11,800. This age group also takes the longest to detect identity theft. On average, it takes 132 days.

There are a few things students can do to protect themselves from identity theft.

• Don’t send important documents to your school mailbox. School mailboxes can easily be broken into and bank or legal documents can be stolen. Consider using a mailbox located at the post office or sending important documents to your permanent address such as your parents’ home.
• Buy a lock box or safe. Since you will not always be in your apartment, you can’t keep an eye on your roommates or who comes into the apartment. Use your lock box or safe to keep your social security card, credit cards, bank statements and passport safe.
• Never loan your debit or credit card to anyone. If it is your turn to buy the pizza for your apartment, send cash with your roommates or go yourself to buy the pizza with your card.
• Look at your bank statements closely. Watch for any suspicious activity with your debit or credit cards. Shred your bank statements and never leave them lying out in the open.
• Ignore emails or Facebook messages asking for money. If a friend is desperate for money, contact them directly to help them. Clicking on the “friend-in-distress” link can download a virus.
• Check your credit report. You should look over your credit report three times a year. You can check it for free at www.annualcreditreport.com.

Sources:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2010/sep/19/iris19-ar-512697/

http://www.hitchedmag.com/article.php?id=1055

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2. Medical Identity Theft on the Rise This post is originally authored at the home security blog...
3. How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft This post is originally authored at the home security blog...
4. Identity Theft and Credit Card Security This post is originally authored at the home security blog...
5. What to Do When Your Identity Has Been Stolen This post is originally authored at the home security blog...

This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

On Saturday evening, Hugh Probert was watching football and his wife was reading when a burglar snuck into their home. Between 7:30 and 8:30, a burglar broke in through a bathroom window even though the window was blocked with a dowel. Mr. and Mrs. Probert did not hear the burglar going through their home and did not realize they had been robbed until the next day.

The burglar stole cash and jewelry that amounted to more than a thousand dollars. The thief also took their keys. Mrs. Probert told reporters, “We are not the terrified type but it is definitely unsettling because they take all your keys. We couldn’t get into our cars and it is devastating to lose all the jewelry.”

A burglar will only spend an average of three minutes inside a home. In three minutes, your jewelry, money and other possessions can be stolen. There are ten tips you can follow to keep your home secure and your family safe whether you are at home like the Proberts were or away.

1. Always lock your doors. You might just be going for a short walk or running to the local grocery store, but a few minutes is all the time a burglar needs. Do not hide a spare key outside. A thief will know how to find it.

2. Have quality locks on your windows. Using a dowel to lock your window is not always enough. Just like you would lock your doors before leaving your house, lock your windows (including windows on the second floor).

3. Install outside lights so that your property will be well lit at night. Lights by doorsteps are especially important so you can see who is knocking on your door.

4. Put a fence up around your property or grow hedges so burglars can’t simply walk onto your property. You should lock gates at night and when you are away.

5. Lock your garages and sheds. Burglars will steal lawnmowers, chainsaws and other expensive equipment.

6. Park your car in your garage. Thieves are more likely to break into cars that are parked along the street or in a driveway.

7. Install a home security system and teach your children how to use it.

8. Teach your children to never answer the door when a stranger knocks. Also teach them how to answer the phone when they are home alone. They should never say they are alone. Instead they should say something like, “My mom is busy and can’t come to the phone right now.”

9. Be careful what you post on social networking sites. Don’t post when you are going on vacation or on a business trip.

10. When you are going out of town, ask a neighbor or friend to collect your mail and newspapers and check on your house.

Sources:

http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Burglary-victims-warn-others/7569796/

 http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100923005316/en

This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Lindsay Dill, a junior at Point Park University in South Oakland, Pennsylvania, was staying up late to finish homework. Shortly after midnight while she was in her living room doing school work, a man opened the door to her home and, uninvited, walked inside. Dill recalled, “I looked up and there was this big black guy standing there, his hands in his pockets.” Unsure of what to do, she tried not to panic.

The man, later identified as Kymarr Freeman, asked if Jamal was there. Dill told reporters, “I just looked at him shaking my head. I have no idea who he was talking about.” Before leaving, Freeman asked Dill about marijuana and told her not to mention what had happened to anyone.

At 1:30 a.m. Dill received a call from her next door neighbor. They had just been robbed. One roommate had been asleep in his room and the other two roommates had been upstairs when the burglar snuck in. The burglar stole a television and slipped back out of the home, unnoticed. Cray Thomas, also a junior at Point Park University, said, “I can’t believe this happened to us.”

Freeman is the main suspect for the burglary. Other students have also come forward with information on Freeman. Emily Westfield, who lives close to Thomas and Dill, said that a few weeks ago, a man she and her roommate did not know knocked on her door asking for Jamal. In an interview, she said, “When we heard about the other robbery with the name Jamal used, we immediately remembered what happened with us.” Four other students have similar stories.

Detective John Mihalcin, who is investigating the burglary, said that this is not uncommon. “Usually, [the potential burglar] knocks on the door to see if someone is there,” he said. When someone answers the door, the burglar asks for a specific person so that it will seem like he simply knocked on the wrong door.

Detective Mihalcin continued to say, “It’s common for people to leave their doors unlocked in Oakland” because college roommates leave their doors unlocked for each other. Mihalcin encourages everyone, especially students, to lock their doors and windows at all times.

Sources:

http://www.pointparkglobe.com/news/man-charged-with-burglary-of-students-living-in-oakland-1.1640100#5

This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Some parents’ nightmare might be that 100 teenagers show up to their daughter or son’s 15^th birthday party. Tracey Livesey is facing a problem that blows this nightmare away. 21,000 Facebook users have sent an RSVP to her daughter’s 15^th birthday party.

Her daughter, Rebecca Javeleau, created an event on Facebook to invite friends to her birthday party. However, she left the event as public instead of private. The event spread from user to user until 21,000 had confirmed they would be attending. Most of the accounts were probably fake and included big names like Justin Bieber, Stevie Wonder and Susan Boyle.

Her mother told the Daily Telegraph, “Her party is cancelled and she will be lucky to get a birthday card from me after this. I said she could have 15 friends along to the party but my sister-in-law said that 8,000 people had said on Facebook that they were coming.”

Even though the party has been canceled, local law enforcement is still concerned because more events were created by other Facebook users including a pre-party, after-party and hang-over party. A group called “I was part of the 7.10.10 FB takeover of Rebecca Javeleau’s Flat Party” has even been created. Police have been alerted and will be patrolling the area during the would-be party.

This isn’t the first party that has been taken over by Facebook users. In 2008, 400 people showed up at a teenager’s 16^th birthday in Spain. At the end of the night, the surprise guests had stolen $12,000 worth of items from the teen’s home.

Stories like this once again remind Facebook and other social network users to be cautious when posting information online. Posting addresses and phone numbers, when you will be out of town or sharing an event like a birthday party can invite more than just your friends over. It can invite burglars and thieves into your home and give them the ticket they need to rob you.

Sources:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/8012043/Girl-14-fears-21000-party-guests-after-Facebook-invite-blunder.html

Photo Source: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/09/21/5150049-teen-posts-birthday-party-invite-on-facebook-and-21000-rsvp?gt1=43001

This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Crime reports are always in the news. Homes are robbed, cars are broken into and property is stolen. Maybe you feel safe because those kinds of crimes do not happen in your quiet neighborhood. Or maybe you’re not sure if home security systems even work. Here is proof that you could be a victim to burglary and that home security is not only important, it works, too.

Early Saturday morning, thieves broke into Ken Warner’s vehicles that were parked outside his garage. The thieves went on a crime spree through Hastings, Wisconsin and stole various items from six different vehicles. From Ken Warner’s truck, the thieves stole a laptop.

Luckily, Warner had installed security cameras on his garage. As the burglars broke into the cars, the cameras captured footage that could be used to find and arrest the thieves. When Warner discovered his trucks had been broken into, he checked the security cameras and watched the burglars in action. Warner then uploaded the video to Facebook, and the video spread to the Star Gazette.

The security camera’s footage led to various leads and police have already made one arrest. Police are still searching for the other burglars, though, and Warner’s stolen laptop.

The thieves broke into Warner’s vehicles at 2:24 a.m. – a time when most people are asleep and would not see a burglar breaking into a car. This is why home security cameras are so important. Cameras capture crime when homeowners are away or asleep.  

You might believe your town is quiet and safe enough that you do not need any kind of home security. But you can never know for sure. If your car or home is broken into and property is stolen, then you might wish you had installed security cameras. Without the security cameras, the police in Hastings might have been without any leads and the burglars would have escaped.

Sources:

http://www.piercecountyherald.com/event/article/id/28934/

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This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

It was a regular Tuesday afternoon for an 11-year-old boy in Boise, Idaho until a stranger rang the doorbell and a burglar entered the home.

Police told reporters that Craig J. Getzloff rang the doorbell around 4 p.m. Since the 11-year-old boy was home alone and did not know Getzloff, he did not answer the door. Getzloff then went around to the backdoor. That door was unlocked, and Getzloff entered the home.

Frightened, the 11-year-old hid in a room. He locked the door and called his father. His father, who was on his way home, called the police to report the home invasion and burglary.

When police arrived about a minute after they received the call, they found the father holding the burglar, preventing him from escaping. Police arrested Getzloff and found that he had prescriptions medications that were not his. He has been charged with burglary and possession of a controlled substance.

A neighbor, Stacey Hunt, praised the 11-year-old for how he acted during the home invasion. She said, “He’s a smart kid, then! I really admire the way that he responded to the situation. I think that his parents gotta be proud of him.”

Boise’s police spokeswoman Lynn Hightower also praised the boy’s bravery. “This young man, and his family, should be pretty proud of themselves today,” she said. “Because he did all the right things in what just had to be a really frightening situation.”

Getzloff claimed that the home invasion and burglary was a misunderstanding because he thought he was in a friend’s house. However, police suspect that Getzloff is responsible for a string of burglaries in Boise.

There are a few tips you can follow to prevent a home invasion:

• Keep doors, windows and garages locked.
• When a stranger or solicitor knocks on the door, do not open it, especially if you are home alone.
• Use a peephole or a window to see who is knocking before opening the door.
• Install lights around all home entrances.
• Have a family plan incase a burglar does enter your home.

Sources:

http://www.ktvb.com/home/11-year-old-boy-hailed-as-hero-after-foiling-burglary-suspect-103002294.html

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/16/home.invasion.prevention/

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This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Gloucestershire Constabulary, located in England, is dedicated to educating citizens on how to keep their homes, property and families safe and protected. One way to keep homes and property secure is through gardening and landscaping. Gloucestershire Constabulary has started to spread the word on how to use plants against burglars. They launched their Defensive Gardening campaign in June and have been visiting nurseries and garden centers to teach people how to use plants as a home security defense.

The Defensive Gardening campaign is backed and supported by Crimestoppers. This is the second time Gloucestershire Constabulary has done the Defensive Gardening campaign. Their first in 2009 was so successful they received a national award from Secured by Design. Caroline Paxford, who is part of the Defensive Gardening, said, “I think people would be very surprised to learn how effective the techniques the campaign advocates can be.”

Representatives of the Defensive Gardening campaign are helping homeowners create an attractive kind of security for their homes. Instead of security fencing, they suggest planting a hedge that is impenetrable. Not only is a hedge just as effective, it is also more attractive. They are also teaching homeowners to plant prickly plants under windows to make it more difficult and uncomfortable for burglars to sneak in through windows.

In addition to using plants for security, the Defensive Gardening campaign also advocates using outdoor lighting. They discuss how burglars also target sheds for expensive yard tools such as lawnmowers and chainsaws. Installing locks and alarms on sheds can deter burglars and protect your property.

Their tips and suggestions keep a yard looking attractive but also make it more difficult for burglars to break into homes. They offer pamphlets listing the best plants to use to deter thieves and other tips to discourage burglars. For more advice, you can visit their site at http://gloucestershire.police.uk.

Sources:

http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/8392914.Prickly_plants_prevent_crime/

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1. Defensive Gardening and Landscaping This post is originally authored at the home security blog...