After Your House has been Robbed

Sometimes, after a traumatic situation, your brain doesn’t function the same as it does any other time. For some reason, common sense seems to be evasive and what you end up doing could possibly be damaging when all is said and done. And a burglary falls into the category of traumatic situations, so this article gives you the basic steps on what to do when your home has been burglarized.

Step 1: Stay Safe

At the moment you realize that your home as been robbed, ensure your safety. If you are still outside or if you have just entered the home, retreat and go somewhere safe like a neighbor’s house or just down the street to call the police. You do not know if the thief is still on the premises. If you are deep in the house when it dawns on you, do not search for the intruder, but once again find a safe area from which you can call the police. Should the burglar still be inside and you come across him, it will come down to basic fight or flight, and your safety is too great to risk over a few possessions.

As you leave the area, do not touch or disturb anything. Your home is a crime scene now and any forensic evidence needs to be preserved.

Step 2: Call the Police

Make sure you call the police, even if you feel it would do no good and you will never get your stuff back; as your insurance company will require the police report to process any claim you might have. If there is even the slightest possibility that the perpetrator is still there, call 9-1-1. Otherwise, you can call the police department’s non-emergency number.

Step 3: Secure Your Home

When the police are gone, make sure to secure the entry point that was used by the burglar. Temporarily board up any broken windows and doors, and check all other doors and windows for tampering. Then call a reputable contractor to provide a permanent repair as soon as possible. If you are not sure who to call, your insurance agent should be able to point you in the right direction.

Step 4: Take Account of What’s Missing

Make a comprehensive list of everything you are missing or that was damaged during the burglary. If you have the serial numbers and values of those items missing, make sure to include that information. Take note of any credit or bank cards that are missing and call your bank as soon as possible to alert them to the theft. Once the list is complete, you can file your claim with your insurance company. You will also need to let your neighbors know what happened so they can increase their awareness and prepare their homes. If there is a community blog, post the event there.

Step 5: Heal

Lastly, having someone break into your home and steal your possessions should not be taken lightly. It is a serious and traumatic event that can affect you for years to come unless you tackle the problem now. You need to regain that sense of safety and well-being you had within your home prior to the burglary. Do whatever it takes to get back to this sense of security. Seek professional help, join a support group of fellow sufferers, or take a self-defense course; whatever it takes to feel safe again. And, prepare your home to prevent a repeat burglary. Make sure your security system is up-to-date, that the bushes in your yard are well trimmed, your doors and windows are locked and secure and, when you leave, that the house looks and sounds as if someone is still at home. Once you have reclaimed your sense of security, only then will your house feel like home.

Safety Tips for the Most Romantic Day of the Year

Though love is celebrated throughout the year, on Valentine’s Day, romantics go out of their way to express their devotion and affection. Candlelight dinners, snuggling by a cozy fire and enchanting weekend getaways are just some of the ways couples celebrate. We expect your romantic plans to go off without a hitch, but following are some safety and security considerations to be aware of this Feb. 14.


Fire Safety

Although many couples go out for a candlelight dinner, some prefer to cook a decadent meal together at home. A filet mignon with mushroom-wine sauce and chocolate-dipped strawberries for dessert followed by a champagne toast in front of the fire sets the perfect mood for romance. Cozy nights like this are memory-making for sure, but there are some fire hazards lurking in this scenario.

Fireplaces

Fireplaces lend a soft, warm glow to any room, so they’re a perfect accent to a romantic evening. However, many people use their fireplaces only on special occasions. If your fireplace is rarely used, it’s even more important to have it inspected and cleaned annually. In addition to regular maintenance, the U.S. Fire Administration offers the following general fireplace safety advice:

• Keep the area around the hearth free of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Leave glass doors open while the fire is burning. This will ensure the fire gets enough air for complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.
• Close the mesh screen when the glass doors are open, and always use mesh screens with fireplaces that do not have a glass door.
• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Use only seasoned hardwood.
• Never leave a fire unattended, and extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Allow ashes to cool before disposing of them.
• Keep the roof clear of pine needles and other debris that could catch fire.
• Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.
• Make sure fire and carbon monoxide home alarm systems are installed and operating properly.

Candles

There’s a reason candles and romantic dinners go together. First of all, everybody looks good in candlelight. Secondly, the soft, flickering glow of a candle sets the stage for an unhurried, mesmerizing experience.

If your plans call for a candlelit dinner at home, here are some candle-burning safety tips from the National Candle Association

• Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning.
• Extinguish all candles when you leave the room.
• Keep candles away from drafts, vents and ceiling fans.
• Keep candles away from flammable objects.
• Place burning candles at least three inches apart from one another.

Home Security

Thieves are always on the lookout for opportunities to gain access to your valuables. Though Valentine’s Day is not a particularly active time for home burglaries, some thieves take advantage of this one night of year when many couples are out to dinner. If you have South Carolina security systems installed, your home is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you and the authorities would be notified immediately of any intrusion. Although homes with professional security systems are 300 percent less likely to be broken into than homes without security services, it pays to take a few extra precautions to deflect burglaries.

Appear to be home. Using a timer to set lights and stereo systems to go off intermittently is a great way for your home to appear as though it’s occupied.

• If you’ll be gone for a long weekend, arrange for a neighbor to collect mail and newspapers.
• Avoid posting plans on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
• Do not leave a key under the mat, in the mailbox or above the door frame. You may think your hiding place is clever, but career criminals know all the tricks.

Relationship Security

The most important thing to secure on Feb. 14 is the relationship with your significant other. Breaking up over a bad gift or no gift at all is unlikely, but remembering the one you love on this special day will make him or her feel extra special. The list of no-nos for Valentine’s Day gifts is extensive, so when in doubt choose something classic. Cards, flowers and chocolate are classic choices for women, and men tend to like bottles of their favorite drink, tickets to sporting events and gift certificates for outings, such as golf or kayaking.

What’s most important this Feb. 14 is seizing the opportunity to celebrate love in all its forms, so regardless of your particular plans, we wish you a safe and happy Valentine’s Day.

Limitations of DIY Home Security Systems

​Many homeowners are tempted to save a little money by installing DIY home alarm systems. While it’s true DIY systems are cheaper—there are no costs for installation or monthly monitoring—they do not provide the optimum South Carolina security for your home.

Domestic security devices have gotten easier to install in the last few decades. The installation of individual security features is now as easy as hanging a sensor or plugging a controller into an electrical outlet, jobs that even the untrained can probably handle with no problem.

What most people don’t realize is the requirements of full home security have also expanded, and complete protection can only be gained from an array of devices at different locations in the home. These must be installed in the right places, so they can work together and provide an unbroken barrier.

For instance, motion detectors, break sensors, security cameras and so forth should interact, so each type of device fills any gaps left by the others. They should be positioned in a way that eliminates blind spots, and the whole system should be connected to a central control. Ensuring security devices are properly placed is just one reason to leave home security installation to the professionals.

Alarm monitoring is another. With all the new technology available through smart phones and tablets, homeowners might be tempted to think they could monitor their own security system. A self-monitored system could work perfectly. That is until the Do-it-Yourselfer jumps in the shower or falls asleep.

When you contract with a professional South Carolina security company, you not only get the benefit of professional installation, but also the benefit of professional monitoring. Dispatchers who work in a security company’s control center are trained to evaluate a situation quickly and respond to each scenario appropriately.

A home security company has only one obligation: the protection of your home. They monitor your domestic security devices constantly and provide the link between them and law enforcement. They are never caught by surprise, and they don’t have to look up any numbers, which is a big benefit. In an emergency situation, emotions are running high, and it’s hard to keep a clear head when your family or home is in danger. With professional monitoring services, a dispatcher could already have the police on the way while the homeowner is still fumbling with his phone.

If you’re really into DIY, sometimes you can install your own security devices and hire a service to monitor them. This is risky, however, because some companies refuse to monitor security systems unless they installed the devices. Doing so would be a liability issue for them, since homeowners could sue if their home were burglarized while under the security company’s protection.

In general, homeowners thinking of installing an alarm system themselves should probably think again. You can save some money that way, but you could lose much more.