Residential break and enters are all too common occurrences in most municipalities in Canada. Even using past statistics, it is almost impossible to anticipate where or when a break-in is going to occur. Some areas are consistently high risk, while others experience sudden waves of property crime, then return to normal patterns. One fact remains consistent: each home, unless suitably secured, will offer the opportunity for a break, enter and theft to occur.

There are many strategies householders can engage to reduce the risk of becoming a victim, starting with the first line of defence—a security-conscious state of mind. Security-conscious householders think about security as a matter of course, not only when locking up the family home to go on holidays, but as an integral part of daily living; it’s the psychological key to ensuring maximum physical security. It isn’t necessary to convert your home into a fortress. It is necessary to accept that in a fast changing world, lifestyles change, and security consciousness is now an unwanted but essential part of contemporary Canadian life—as it is in most other countries of the developed world.

There are many strategies we can adopt, to ensure our houses and communities are more secure, and to keep our sense of neighbourliness and community intact. The various points of entry to a home are the potential target areas through which a burglar can gain access to your home and valuables. An opportunistic thief looks for the target offering the least amount of security and resistance to reduce his chances of detection.

Every homeowner must take into consideration the weaknesses presented by their home and identify the target areas requiring attention. For example a door with a lock in the knob should be re-enforced with an auxiliary lock. A garage with a direct access to a residence should be secured while the homeowner is away for any length of time.

The fact sheets available below provide the homeowner with basic information about techniques to secure your home. Some require the expertise of a locksmith and others are do-it-yourself methods. Any decision regarding security improvements should be carefully appraised by taking lifestyle, home location, and budget into consideration.

Available PDF Documents Click on a thumbnail to download.
		Multi Unit Dwellings - Apartments, Townhouses, Condominiums Both tenants and landlords have a stake in the security of rental units, but neither can ensure the safety of a property without the co-operation of the other. We all have the potential to be victims of crime. Each of us can REDUCE THE RISK of our homes/property being victimized by eliminating the opportunity.
		Apartment Building CPTED Does your apartment security plan focus on locks, surveillance cameras, security screen doors and solid walls? If so, you may be contributing to something nearly as bad as the crime you are trying to prevent. Perception is reality and the fear of crime can be as devastating as crime itself. Most property owners want to do whatever they can to ensure a reasonable degree of safety for their tenants and guests. Quite often, the only options owners are aware of are “target-hardening” focused. While locks and other mechanical devices are effective tools in crime prevention, an overwhelming presence of security bars, black metal screen doors and other visible security devices gives people an uneasy feeling because they perceive the area to be “high-risk”. They will ultimately spend little time there or avoid it all together. There are other strategies you can incorporate, which will actually increase security while reducing the visible presence of such. This is known as “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design”, or CPTED.
		Protecting Your Home Every homeowner must take into consideration the weaknesses presented by their home and identify the target areas requiring attention. For example a door with a lock in the knob should be re-enforced with an auxiliary lock. Garage should be secured while the homeowner is away for any length of time. This booklet provides the homeowner with basic information about techniques to secure your home. Some require the expertise of a locksmith and others are do-it-yourself methods. Any decision regarding security improvements should be carefully appraised by taking lifestyle, home location, and budget into consideration. This is a 20 page booklet covering all of the areas listed below. If you are only looking for specific information, the chapters listed below are smaller downloads.
		1 Helpful Tips This chapter provides the homeowner with simple tips about techniques to secure your home. Some require the expertise of a locksmith and others are do-it-yourself methods. Any decision regarding security improvements should be carefully appraised by taking lifestyle, home location, and budget into consideration.
		2 Landscaping Cultivate a garden, but not a burglars’ paradise. Burglars love camouflage. Site trees, shrubs, walls and fences so an intruder can be clearly seen in your front or back yard, and keep bushes around doors and windows trimmed. Bushes, trees and shrubbery can cancel an intruder as he/she attempts entry into a window or door. A few alterations to the home’s landscaping and plant materials can be enough to discourage intruders. To avoid being seen or caught, intruders look for property they can get into and out of quickly. Their ideal target is a house surrounded by large hedges or shrubs, which serve to hamper visibility from the street and neighbour’s houses.
		3 Absences From Home Plan Ahead For Absences Or Holidays—An empty house invites burglars. Never leave your house obviously unoccupied, even briefly by leaving notes on the door. Lock away the garbage bin. (The garbage bin can be used to reach windows or to conceal stolen property.) Turn the volume down on your answering machine. Replace any ageing locks with deadlocks. Leave a key with a trusted neighbour or relative.
		4 Inventory Your Property You should keep a detailed inventory of all your valuable property, especially those things which are most likely to be stolen. Using the principles of property marking, you should mark and record the details, such as serial number, make, model, colour, size and original cost.
		5 Doors Make sure the doors and frames are strong and in good condition. Wooden doors should be solid and at least 44mm (13/4") thick. Fit deadlocks to all outside doors, including French doors. And make sure you use them. You can make wooden doors stronger by fitting a steel strip and plates to the door frame and around the lock. Keep your doors locked even when you’re at home. Fit bolts to the top and bottom of French doors. Remember to fit all security devices with strong screws or bolts.
		6 Door Locks Securing the door is the first logical step in the protection of your home against burglary. Therefore the installation of auxiliary locks is a necessary requirement. It must be understood that no lock, no matter how good, can make a house, store or office burglar proof. However, good locks can be an effective deterrent against break-ins. The more difficult the lock, the less likely a culprit is to attempt or to succeed in breaking into a premises.
		7 Windows Most burglaries are carried out by opportunist thieves. In two out of 10 burglaries, they don’t even have to use force—they get in through an open door or window. So fit strong locks to your doors and windows and make sure you always keep them fully locked. Look at your home through a burglar’s eyes. How would you get in if you’d forgotten your keys? If you can get in, so can a burglar. Are there places where they could break in without being seen? Would they have to make a lot of noise by breaking glass? A third of burglars get in through a window.
		8 Home Security Checklist Basic Risk Assessment—Is the security in your home sufficient to frustrate a potential thief or increase their chances of being caught? The Home Security Checklist was developed to give you an indication of the level of security in your home. Complete the Home Security Checklist and learn how a little time, effort and money can greatly improve your peace of mind in and around your home.