According to SafeWise’s fourth annual State of Safety report, Maryland is the second-most-concerned US state in terms of personal safety and property crime. The report informs that sixty percent of the respondents living in the Old Line State consider themselves “highly concerned” about their safety on a daily basis. At the same time, less than 50% of the surveyed people believed Maryland was a safe place to live.
Cause for Concern?
In 2022, Maryland’s crime rates matched the national violent crime rates of 4 crimes per 1,000 people, while property crimes per capita reached 16.1 incidents compared to 19.6 incidents recorded at a national level. When compared to the previous report, the number of property crimes reported in Maryland marked the most significant decrease, from 33% to 18%.
So, while Marylanders experience fewer property crimes compared to the majority of the nation along with the South-Atlantic region, this does not stop them from expressing their worry in regard to property crime and package theft. If you count among them and you would like to take action and safeguard your home using more effective solutions, read on. We have prepared a series of professional tips and advice from expert locksmiths at Locksmithpros.org.
Lock Up!
Doors, windows, garage doors, sheds, patios – everything hosting something of value for you or representing a potential entry point for burglars should be reinforced with locks and alarms. Here are a few quick solutions seasoned locksmiths have in mind:
Pin Locks and Small Alarms for Windows
Simple latches on double-hung windows are vulnerable in front of a burglar holding a pry bar in his hands. A quick and efficient solution here is represented by pin locks that require some simple drilling for setup. It is possible to lock a window in a partially opened position. For this, you will need to drill an additional hole. Pin locks are found both online and at home centers and they can also be successfully used on sliding patio doors.
Installing a small wireless alarm on your windows is another excellent solution for Marylanders looking to boost protection on their property. Burglars are usually deterred by the smallest noises. Having small and loud alarms installed on your windows and having them sound every time the windows open is a good idea.
Fit Deadbolt Protection and Foot Locks on Front and Patio Doors
If you would like to strengthen security on a deadbolt to prevent the door from easily opening, consider fitting a deadbolt protection device that works by sliding a lock over the deadbolt handle. This will prevent it from turning, thus adding an extra layer of protection to your front door.
You could also consider installing an auxiliary foot lock along the bottom of the door and using the dedicated bolt into the grommet. This will help increase security on the door similar to the way the Door Guardian device works by being attached on top. Installing any of these devices only takes a few minutes and requires you to screw the bracket with the pin to the door, drill a few holes to insert the grommets into the right track, and see that the pin easily slides into it.
Enhanced Protection Measures for Overhead Doors
If you count among those who normally unplug the garage door opener when leaving the house for a longer period of time for safety reasons, you might want to think twice about what you are doing. While this method of “locking” the overhead garage door might provide a decent level of protection against potential intruders, you could try locking the actual door for a change.
This is because, according to pros, the unplugged opener method is not able to stop “phishing” attempts. If your garage is attached to your house, any burglar who has entered your home could easily open the garage door from inside and help themselves with whatever valuable items and tools you have lying around in boxes there.
If your garage overhead door does not come with a lockable latch, you could consider hiring a locksmith to drill a hole in the track above one of the rollers and easily slip in a padlock.
Strengthen Security on Your Strike Plates
It is mandatory to reinforce the weakest spots on all your doors. In other words, pay attention to the jambs. Use heavy-duty strike plates and longer screws to add more strength and help your doors withstand kicking attempts.
If you own deadbolts that have been installed anytime in the last decade, chances are you are already looking at reinforced strike plates made of heavy-duty steel with screws that are at least three inches long. If this is not the case, invest in some quality reinforcing hardware for your strike plates. Installation is not complicated, but relying on expert locksmith services should give you more peace of mind.
Installing motion detector lights and a complete home alarm system you can control via a smartphone are additional home safeguarding tips you could try for the best results.
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