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

During the summer, the seasonal selling of security systems reaches its peak. Companies hire students on summer break to go out door-to-door to sale alarms, and the companies’ growth has exploded because of it. Last summer, the largest door-to-door company sold near 200,000 security systems in 100 markets around the United States. Although some of the home security systems are a good buy, the vast majority are not.

One of the downfalls to purchasing security systems from door-to-door salesmen is it actually makes your home vulnerable. These types of alarm systems use a home phone line which can easily be cut by a burglar. A cellular alarm system is a better and safer system to use. The salesman may claim that it is a free or discounted service, but the monthly fees are actually quite high. The home security system that is installed tends to be extremely basic and is simply a kit. The basic kit may not meet your needs or fully protect your house and family. If you decide to update or increase your security, it is usually very expensive.

Those who sale the home security systems are also compensated so they can be aggressive and use pressure to get you to buy something you do not want or need. The managers are also paid from sales; as a result they may ignore questionable sales practices. Some companies have gone so far as to impersonate a home’s existing security system provider or to claim a home’s existing security company is no longer in business. One tactic that has been used is offering a free alarm system if companies can display their logo/sign in your yard. The system does not stay free for long and can cost a lot because of long time contracts or monthly fees.

To protect yourself when a salesman comes to your door offering home security, ask for a company ID and the company’s license. A license will hopefully guarantee that the sales representative had a background check to ensure he has never been convicted of burglary. Always get a full explanation of the security system and how it works. Be sure you fully understand the costs. How much does it cost to upgrade or discontinue service? Is there an installation fee? Take time to think about it before you sign the contract. You need time to fully read the contract and research online for reviews. If the salesperson is pushy, the company is probably not trustworthy.

Always play it smart when it comes to your home and family’s protection. Do not give out important information like your credit card or social security number. Remember that what is offered as free can end up costing you.

Sources:

http://www.alarmsales.org/

http://www.prweb.com/releases/home_security/door_to_door_sales/prweb4268684.htm

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

Over the past two years, auto thefts have fallen 20%. Most of the urban areas in the United States reported fewer burglaries. This did not just occur overnight, however. Since 1991, vehicle burglaries have been dropping steadily. There are a few reasons, though, for the sharp and significant decrease in the past year.

One reason car burglary has dropped is because of better anti-theft technology like LoJack and OnStar which help police track stolen vehicles. Other devices that help deter burglars include car alarms and steering-wheel disablers. Anything that makes the car look harder to steal, such as a steering-wheel lock, discourages thieves. Tinted windows and covered storage spaces further prevent tempting burglars. Drivers are also more aware and are taking the necessary precautions to protect their vehicles.

Also contributing to the decrease in car thefts is newer cars. Newer cars are harder to steal because most come with more sophisticated anti-theft security. For example, newer cars now have encrypted key codes. Before the ignition will start, it has to recognize the key’s code. This means that hot-wiring and forcing the key cylinder will be useless. The car will not start. OnStar also blocks engines from starting or can make a vehicle slow down at the request of the police.

Better law-enforcement tactics are also causing the reduction in car thefts. Police are using “bait cars” to catch regular car thieves. “Bait cars” have GPS tracking, remote engine-kill switches and video surveillance. Police are also using license-plate readers. A license-plate reader scans hundreds of plates to spot stolen cars.

Another reason less vehicles are being stolen may be because there is simply less crime. This could be due to a number of reasons including surveillance cameras, better policing, the aging population and military deployment overseas. As more thieves are jailed, fewer young people take their place.

Following is a list to illustrate just how much car theft has dropped over the year.

• Los Angeles: Dropped from 582 per 100,000 people to 443. Los Angeles is now in 42^nd place.
• New York: Fell from 197 per 100,000 to 156. New York ranks as 223^rd in the United States.
• Las Vegas: Sank from 1,035 per 100,000 to 563. Car thefts were nearly cut in half, but Las Vegas ranks at 9^th.
• San Francisco-Oakland: Dropped from 833 per 100,000 to 611 and is in 7^th place.

So what are the nation’s top ten auto theft capitals? Ranking number one is Laredo, Texas with 742 thefts per 100,000 residents. Laredo’s high ranking is due to its location. It is next to the Mexican border, and according to The Wall Street Journal, “Drug cartels are helping make the U.S.-Mexico border region a hot spot for vehicle thieves.” In 2007, Modesto, California claimed the number one ranking with 1,058 thefts per 100,000 people. Following is the nation’s top ten cities for car theft:

1. Laredo, Texas
2. Modesto, California
3. Bakersfield, California
4. Stockton, California
5. Fresno, California
6. Yakima, Washington
7. San Francisco-Oakland
8. Visalia-Porterville, California
9. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nevada
10. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Source:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourCar/tough-times-for-auto-thieves.aspx

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

Have you ever wondered how burglars manage to sneak into homes so easily and make off with cash, jewelry and other household items without getting caught? Research conducted among reformed home thieves reveals their secrets and our own mistakes that make their burglary even easier.

Although home security systems are becoming more common, 90% of reformed burglars believe that breaking in to a home is still an easy task. In addition, they all agreed that there is no impossible job; there is always a way to break in. Most of the ex-thieves admitted to collecting information before robbing a home. They would observe a house to figure out daily routines (when homeowners are away at work or taking a nightly walk). In the survey, 62% of the ex-thieves said all they needed was five minutes to make a sweep of the home. One in ten of the ex-burglars used media like Facebook and Twitter to track their targets. Twitting information like when you are leaving on a vacation or going out for the night with friends broadcasts that your home is empty and ready for the taking.

Besides broadcasting whereabouts on social media, another mistake homeowners make is putting house keys in common and obvious places. In the survey, 78% of the ex-burglars said they looked under the doormats and in plant pots for a key before breaking in. The other common mistake homeowners make is leaving a window open. During the summer, thieves immediately look for an open window to sneak through.

Once inside the home, one third of the former thieves said they first looked for car keys. Most homeowners do not keep car keys locked away in a safe. Are your keys out in the open so burglars can fill your car with your valuables and drive away? The survey also found that 34% of the robbers thought valuables would be in bedroom drawers. 20% looked for a safe and 4% of the ex-thieves searched the fridge for valuables.

If you are counting on your neighbors to watch your home, you may want to rethink your strategy. Almost half of the reformed thieves claimed that they did not worry about neighbors. They agreed that the best form of security is a burglar alarm followed by a dog.

Richard Taylor, an ex-burglar who is now a Church minister, said, “Homeowners should sit up and take note of these results, the importance of home security cannot be overlooked, yet surprisingly many homeowners fail to take even the simplest precautions to protect themselves. Basic things like being more aware, having a burglar alarm fitted and even getting a dog can act as deterrents to thieves on the hunt for an invitation.”

Disclaimer: The results may be biased due to the company backing the study is a home belongings insurance company.

Sources:

http://www.easier.com/74448-reformed-house-burglars-mistakes.html

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

A family in Cooper City, Florida had a rude awakening in the middle of the night from three men dressed in FBI jackets. Surveillance cameras from the family’s home security system caught the three men pulling up to the home and two of them trying to force the door open with a crowbar. When they failed to get the door open, they tried to break through the window.

Woken up by the noise at their front door, the wife upstairs watched the entire scene on her television through their security system. The father went downstairs and watched the attempted robbers through the window. He asked the men who they were, and they claimed to be the police. The crowbar said otherwise.

Since the father recognized that the men were not actually with the FBI, he fired a warning shot through the window. The shot made the two attempted robbers run back to their vehicle where their driver almost drove off without them. The same three men, dressed the same and committing the same crime, were caught on another surveillance video a few months earlier. The suspects are still on the run.

Source – News Reel Posted on YouTube:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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

On July 16, Prosecutor Sue Baur of Cowlitz County, Washington decided not to prosecute Scott Allen Schwingdorf who shot a suspected burglar with a bow and arrow. Baur does not want to encourage citizens to enforce laws themselves, but she recognizes the right of self defense and defense of property. She told the press, “If someone chooses to use force on a fleeing felon, their facts better be right – and the likelihood of that is very rare. So you take your chances, and that’s why we want you to leave it up to the police.”

Last year on December 13, Scott Allen Schowingdorf, 33, heard glass breaking late at night at his neighbors’ home. The home was empty because of a recent fire, and before leaving, the neighbors had asked Schowingdorf to watch the home. Schowigndorf was in his garage when he heard the breaking glass. After telling his mother to call the police, Schowingdorf grabbed his bow and arrow and went outside to see what had made the noise.

Outside, Schowingdorf saw Galen Louis Crayne, 33, fleeing from the vacant home with a brown box under his arm. Schowingdorf chased after Crayne, repeatedly telling him to stop. When Crayne refused to stop, Schowingdorf shot an arrow from 90 feet away. The arrow hit Crayne in the left buttocks. Crayne, however, did not stop. He broke off the arrow, and two blocks away from the vacant home, he escaped in a waiting truck.

Police arrested Crayne in February, and his trial will begin in September. Schowingdorf has been cleared of any charges because of a Washington State Law stating citizens have the right to “use reasonable force to defend property they own or have been entrusted with.” Prosecutor Sue Baur said, “Had Mr. Schwingdorf acted with intent other than to stop a fleeing felon, or had the force used resulted in death, or had any of his assumptions been incorrect, his actions would be outside the realm of necessary or reasonable, and the charging decision would likely be different.”

Crayne’s mother, Jacquelyn Crayne, is not happy that Schwingdorf has escaped any charges. She said, “We don’t want people out burglarizing places. But it is not somebody else’s responsibility to do something about it.” She also told the press, “You should never be allowed to do what that man did. He is by no means trained to recognize or assess a situation properly. It’s not his right.”

The arrowhead stayed lodged in Galen Crayne’s buttocks for almost six months before he had it surgically removed. His mother said, “He still has a limp.”

Sources:

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_119bf892-911e-11df-b2c5-001cc4c002e0.html

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

A string of burglaries through Georgia and North Carolina has reached the end of its rope. The thefts first began on June 24, and on July 14, police arrested three men convicted of being involved in this series of burglaries concentrated in Atlanta. Police were able to recover $250,000 of stolen goods. Most of the stolen goods were high-end electronics like laptops, flat-screen televisions and video game systems. However, police also recovered stolen jewelry and guns.

Phil Miller, sheriff in Douglas County, Georgia, told the press, “We have six people in custody and warrants for two more.” Three of the men had previously been arrested in June: Clifford M. Foster, 42; Tavero D. Woods, 31; and Phillip R. Osborne, 31. On July 14, police arrested three more in the burglary ring: Antonio V. Smith, 21; Reginald Deshaun Tate, 23; and an unidentified fifteen-year-old male. Sheriff Miller went on to say, “We believe at least one or more have gang affiliation with United Blood Nation. They’ve been burglarizing homes in two states for the past 8-10 months.”

Those who have been arrested so far have been charged with breaking the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). RICO is used to prosecute organized crime and gives stiffer penalties. If one or more of the burglars are involved with the United Blood Nation gang, they could face federal charges.

The victims of the burglaries and neighbors led police to the first arrests by giving a description of the suspects’ car along with a license plate number. The police were also able to lift a fingerprint from one of the burglarized homes and used it to identify a suspect. The investigation is ongoing, and the ring is suspected of being involved in over fifty break-ins.

Sources:

http://www.gastongazette.com/news/burglaries-49057-others-led.html

http://www.times-georgian.com/view/full_story/8762338/article-Six-arrested-in-alleged-burglary-ring?instance=west_ga_news

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

Most people have a favorite color. They might paint their entire house bright blue because they love the color so much. Others have an entire wardrobe of their favorite color. Some even dye their hair their all time favorite color. Car thieves also have their favorite colors of cars to steal. Their favorite colors of vehicles to steal include white, black and silver.

Why these colors? Most car thieves are professionals, and they steal cars to make money. Car thieves know that cars with the highest resale value include the most popular exterior color. In 2010, 20% of consumers drove off the car lots with a new white vehicle. 17% of sold vehicles came in the colors black and silver. Blue followed with 13%. A consumer pays the same for a yellow or white car, but the resale value for a vehicle with a popular color (like white and black) can sell for up to $1,000 more.

The least popular colors in North America are yellow/gold at 2% and beige/brown at 5%. These and other bright colors deter car thieves. Not only do these vehicles have a lower resale value, but they are also like a flashing neon sign. A thief driving a stolen white automobile will blend more with other vehicles while a bright yellow truck would be easily spotted by the police.

A study in the Netherlands illustrates car thieves’ preferences. From 2004-2008, the most commonly colored vehicle stolen was black. This may be because black vehicles look more luxurious. Following close behind black were gray/silver automobiles. Of the 109 pink cars in the study, not one was stolen. A bright and uncommon color, like pink, may be as effective deterrent as an expensive security system. Ben Vollaard, who conducted the research, wrote, “If the aversion to driving a car in an offbeat color is not too high – or if someone actually enjoys it – then buying deterrence through an uncommon car color may be at least as good a deal as buying deterrence through an expensive car security device.”

Sources:

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/792/americas-most-popular-car-colors

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/5262

Photo Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/202247/nissan_micra_cc.html

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

There is a knock on the door, and you press your face up against the small peephole trying to get a look at whoever is on the other side of the door. You look through the small hole only to see the back of someone’s head. Do you open the door to a potentially threatening stranger? You can’t yell through the door to ask the stranger to turn around because he won’t hear you.

Here is another scenario: Somebody knocks on your door while you are busy cooking in the kitchen. You have water boiling, spaghetti sauce bubbling and timers beeping. Frazzled and wishing for one more hand, you ask your daughter to answer the door. She is too short to see out of the peephole. Should she open the door without knowing who is on the other side?

A new product, released by Northvision Technologies Co., called the Home Intelliviewer solves these problems. The Home Intelliviewer takes the peephole to new and better levels. It is a 2.8 inch LCD monitor that shows who is on the other side of the door. Short people will no longer need chairs and tall people will not have to bend down to view it. The camera has a 30 mega pixel and displays the picture on a high definition screen. With the Home Intelliviewer, it is easier to see and identify who is knocking on the door. There is even an optional zoom. The camera also works in dark light.

The Home Intelliviewer includes a two-way intercom. Home owners can use this device to ask strangers for identification or the purpose behind their visit. The intercom uses digital audio so the voices are clearer.

The Home Intelliviewer is easy to install yourself, and it is easy to use. It is suitable for any home or apartment owner who wants to increase their home security and protect their family.

Sources:

http://www.northvision.com.cn/homeintelliviewer.htm

http://www.indiacompanynews.com/post/view/504/Home-intelliviewer-door-camera-manufacturer-Northvision/

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

Every twenty-six seconds in the United States, a vehicle is stolen. Most security features for cars are activated after the theft has already occurred. A car alarm sounds or a signal is sent out from the stolen vehicle. Afterwards, owners begin the frustrating search for their vehicle. Owners that are victim of car thefts can only hope that their car will return to them undamaged. What can prevent cars from being stolen in the first place?

Hawk Systems has a new product that answers this question. The product, known as Securepass, requires a fingerprint before the car will even start. Securepass is not just a basic fingerprint scanner. Instead, it is a five-layer live fingerprint-ID device. Since it scans five layers deep and the tissue must be living, it is impossible to create fake fingerprints.

This new security device does not limit vehicles to only one driver, though. Securepass can store up to sixteen approved fingerprints. Using Securepass not only prevents vehicles from being stolen but it could also lower car insurance levels. Some companies give discounts to consumers that use extra car security systems like Securepass.

In addition to using fingerprints for car security systems, Hawk Systems hopes to use fingerprinting technology for banking, employee time clocks, stadium security and attendance. This includes ATMs. Every day there are 139 million ATM transactions that only use a four digit PIN number for identification. Live fingerprinting would reduce fraud and identity theft that often occur at ATMs. Anywhere where identity is required, Hawk Systems hopes to use this kind of technology to increase security.

The CEO of Hawk Systems, Michael Diamant, told Market Watch he “believes fingerprint security will, in the coming year or two, be as common as cell phones…People will see the benefit to protecting their vehicle before it is stolen rather than trying to locate and recover it after the fact. We believe that Securepass provides that proactive security.” Since Securepass prevents doors from unlocking or the ignition from starting if the fingerprint is not right, Hawk Systems’s Securepass is definitely proactive. Securepass will keep any non-authorized user from driving the vehicle anywhere.

Sources:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/hawk-systems-inc-launches-biometrics-in-the-auto-industry-fingerprint-car-starter-securepasstm-2010-06-28?reflink=MW_news_stmp

http://www.hawksystemsinc.com/index.php

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

When a young woman stopped to give her keys to a parking valet at Holy Cross Hospital, she never thought she was exposing herself to a huge security risk. She tossed her keys to the valet, and exited the vehicle. She worked as a nurse in the hospital, and was in a hurry.

However, the first time that he had seen this particular woman, the parking valet had fallen “madly in love”. When she gave him her keys, he saw an opportunity. Carlo Castellanos-Feria took the woman’s keys while her car was parked, and brought them to be copied. The woman had given him her entire key ring, which included the key to her apartment.

Castellanos-Feria had a previous history of stalking this particular woman. According to the woman (who is anonymous for legal purposes), he had shown interest in her for several months, regularly harassing her, and even showing up at her church. She had previously filed a complaint against him at Holy Cross Hospital.

Some time later (police aren’t certain of the exact time), Castellanos-Feria broke in to the woman’s apartment. Footage recovered from the suspect’s camera showed him setting up the camera in the woman’s bedroom next to her computer. When he hears the woman and her boyfriend (who is now her husband) coming in to the apartment, the camera captures him quickly hiding underneath the bed. According to police, he remained under the bed for two days.

Even more disturbing, is the items that the stalker chose to bring with him. Police recovered a power cord, latex gloves and condoms following his arrest.

Castellanos-Feria was only discovered when, two days later, the woman’s boyfriend saw something move on the floor. He dragged Castellanos-Feria out of his hiding spot, beat him with a flashlight, and was able to detain him until law enforcement officials arrived. During the trial, Castellanos-Feria said, “I fell madly in love and that blinded my judgment. I beg your forgiveness”. He was sentenced to three years in prison, which was less than the six-year sentence that was originally being sought by the prosecution.

What You Can Do

If you ever discover a stalker, burglar or other intruder in your home, the most important thing to do is leave your residence immediately. Criminals can be unpredictable when discovered, and the most important thing is your safety. Do not attempt to detain the intruder, or grab any personal possessions before leaving. Make your way to the residence of a friend or neighbor, and call the police from that location.

To prevent an intruder from ever being able to gain access to your home, it’s highly recommended that you invest in a monitored home security system, as well as other measures (such as motion-activated lights, window alarms and deadbolt locks). Keep all of the entry points of your home (windows, doors, skylights, etc) secure at all times, even when you’re currently at home. Consider adopting a guard dog, which can be an effective criminal deterrent when properly trained.