Resources
» Go to www.cityoftucson.org online for crime-prevention tips.
» Chris McGoey also gives tips at www.crimedoctor.com, his Web site.
» These won't cost you a thing
Make friends with your neighbors, and keep an eye out for each other. Criminals share information, police say, and if they know your community is active and vigilant, they'll steer clear.
Ask a neighbor or friend to collect newspapers and mail in your absence; park a car in the driveway.
A salesman or someone asking for directions could be a burglar casing your home. Trust your instincts. If you have suspicions, don't brush them off - call 911.
Set up a Neighborhood Watch program; contact your local police station for advice.
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Police will send crime-prevention officers to your home to offer security advice.
» Good to know
Burglars seldom strike randomly - they're likely to check out your house before breaking in.
Owners of brand-new houses tend to feel least vulnerable, says Mike Schuh, crime-prevention officer with the Oro Valley Police Department. "They feel their homes are not penetrable, just because they're new."
Dogs are great deterrents. "Burglars hate dogs more than alarm systems," says home security expert Chris McGoey.
So are plants. Put thorny ones beneath windows. Trim bushes and shrubs under windowsills to just beneath the sills, and other shrubs to no more than 4 feet high.