I am getting emails like this from my HOA with alarming regularity:
I live in a well established, fairly up-scale, gated, very small community. I know most of my neighbors and we watch out for each other, but I still take every pre-caution I can to protect my family and property.
It's amazing how lax most people are when it comes to their home security and safety. Most people think I'm paranoid, because I have a fully alarmed system with cellular back up, lots of motion-detector lights, and other security measures (one of my neighbors who works from home is on my alarm contact list, and we've gone over procedures on how to protect my family should he be contacted).
I have a friend who is a police officer, and he says my area is very safe compared to most regular neighborhoods that he's patrolled.
Several weeks back, burglars broke into my parent's house as well. My parents have a dog, and always lock their gates. However, the always left their garage open, and never locked the back doors to their house. They never gave it a second thought even though I pleaded with them to lock all of their doors and keep the garage door shut.
One of their neighbors is a highway patrolman, who frequently keeps his patrol vehicle in front of his house near my folk's yard. I guess this gave my folks a feeling of security.
However, one night around 11pm, as my parents were getting ready for bed, some burglar jumped the gates, opened the rear door, ran into the house and snatched several things. The dog began to bark loudly, and my dad went to investigate with his gun. By that time the dog had scared off the burglar, but my parents were badly shaken by that event. They also live in a very "safe" area and were rudely awakened to reality.
I hope no one is foolish enough to try to break into my house, but I have prepared for the fact that someone may be stupid enough to try. I am glad to have neighbors and a friend who is a police officer and a gun enthusiast to go to the range with to practice my shooting skills.
Bottom line is, if you have family, it's better to be paranoid and safe, than to be lax and hurt.
I live in a well established, fairly up-scale, gated, very small community. I know most of my neighbors and we watch out for each other, but I still take every pre-caution I can to protect my family and property.
It's amazing how lax most people are when it comes to their home security and safety. Most people think I'm paranoid, because I have a fully alarmed system with cellular back up, lots of motion-detector lights, and other security measures (one of my neighbors who works from home is on my alarm contact list, and we've gone over procedures on how to protect my family should he be contacted).
I have a friend who is a police officer, and he says my area is very safe compared to most regular neighborhoods that he's patrolled.
Several weeks back, burglars broke into my parent's house as well. My parents have a dog, and always lock their gates. However, the always left their garage open, and never locked the back doors to their house. They never gave it a second thought even though I pleaded with them to lock all of their doors and keep the garage door shut.
One of their neighbors is a highway patrolman, who frequently keeps his patrol vehicle in front of his house near my folk's yard. I guess this gave my folks a feeling of security.
However, one night around 11pm, as my parents were getting ready for bed, some burglar jumped the gates, opened the rear door, ran into the house and snatched several things. The dog began to bark loudly, and my dad went to investigate with his gun. By that time the dog had scared off the burglar, but my parents were badly shaken by that event. They also live in a very "safe" area and were rudely awakened to reality.
I hope no one is foolish enough to try to break into my house, but I have prepared for the fact that someone may be stupid enough to try. I am glad to have neighbors and a friend who is a police officer and a gun enthusiast to go to the range with to practice my shooting skills.
Bottom line is, if you have family, it's better to be paranoid and safe, than to be lax and hurt.
