When moving into a new apartment or house make sure you change the locks or have them changed. You never know who might have a key and you certainly do not want any strangers in your home. Personal safety is always essential. A dead bolt will make you safe. Make sure both the front and back doors are visible to neighbors. Your home is more secure the more visible the entry points are.

Your doors should not have large glass panels on them, as they are easy to see in and break. Look for a door with smaller glass inserts that are away from the lock. Make sure the hinges on the doors are on the inside so that they cannot be popped from the outside. Hinges on the outside are not safe at all.

If your house or apartment has window locks installed do not remove them if you install the security grates on the windows. You need to ask how to quickly remove these grates in case a fire breaks out within your home.

If you are moving into an apartment building make sure the hallways, and public areas are well lit, this increases personal safety so much. If you are moving into a house, make sure there are lights on all of the porches. It is always a great idea to install those motion senor lights on the garage if you have one or on the porch for added security.

Do not be afraid to call the police or apartment manager if you notice some one strange hanging around. When you are new to the area you should go to the police department and ask about the crime rate in and around your area. Neighborhood watch programs are great added security, find out if your neighborhood has one and join.

Burglar alarms have become standard equipment in stores and other businesses, and they are becoming increasingly common in private homes as well. If you have ever shopped for a home security system, then you know there are a wide variety of options available. Many people understand the benefits of having home security alarms but few, except for professionals, know the logistics. In this article, we will take a look at these concepts and examine a few specific alarm designs. As you will see, some of the most effective alarm systems are also the simplest.

To detect an intruder who is already in the house, you need a motion detector. Basic motion detectors are fairly common these days. You see them all the time in automatic doors, for example. There are several different sorts of detectors.

Motion detector designs can be combined with burglary alarms to give a house to offer complete coverage. Home security is a rapidly growing field, and there are new and improved burglar alarms popping up all the time. For the most part, these systems are all built around the same basic structure. A central control box monitors several motion detectors and perimeter guards and sounds an alarm when any of them are triggered.

When people think of protecting their homes, they often think of fancy expensive security systems with lots of bells and whistles. That is certainly an option, but there are measures you can take that will not break the bank, too. Also, depending on your home and neighborhood, you may not need the most expensive system.

Home security is not just about your own home, either. A lot of determining whether or not you are at significant risk involves taking stock of your neighborhood including public safety facilities like police and fire stations. Though incidents can happen to anyone, some neighborhoods are certainly more at risk than others. Installing a burglar alarm can certainly help make you less of a target, but the best strategy may be to start a neighborhood watch.

Home security is also about you and your habits. If you have a large family where someone is almost always home, you may be less at risk than someone who lives alone and is frequently away on business trips. The value of your home and your possessions is also a factor, although thieves can also be tempted by less valuable items if they believe they will be easy to fence.

Find out where your city sits with CQ Press's 16th annual crime city rank. The report ranks 393 American cities in six different categories -- murder, rape, burglary, robbery, aggravated assault and motor vehicle theft. Here is ten dangerous cities and states in America.


* Camden, New Jersey ranked as the most dangerous city in America with it ranking number one in robberies and number eight in motor vehicle theft.

* St. Louis, Missouri is a close second, ranking a four in motor vehicle thefts and 13 in burglaries.

* Florida jumped from the ninth most dangerous state in 2008 to fifth in 2009, ranking a three in the country for robberies and a six for burglary.

* Detroit, Michigan ranked third for assaults and vehicle thefts and a 16 in burglaries.

* New Orleans, Louisiana was once named the number one most dangerous city but has since dropped to sixth. It dropped into the double digit numbers for most of the categories except murder.

* Georgia moved seven spots within the year, ranking it the 12th most dangerous state with a six ranking for burglary.

* Birmingham, Alabama has the highest burglary rank on the list with a rank of five and robbery trailing with a rank of 11.

* North Carolina may rank at 18 but it takes the number one spot in the country for burglaries.

The first step in preventing home burglaries is to lock all doors and windows. Yet, this simple action is unfortunately often disregarded or forgotten by many victims of residential burglaries. For example, 51% of burglaries reported in the town of Eden Prairie, the burglar obtained entrance to the dwelling through an unlocked and/or open door. Criminals most often choose the easiest way to commit a crime. Yet the most common entrance for burglars is through an open overhead garage door.


Here are a few tips to keep you and your family safe:

* Use a solid core or heavy metal door for all entrance points. Place lights near porches, outside of all doorways, garage doors and all other points of entry. Keep any entryways well-lit. Motion detecting lights are also good choices for home security.

* Create the illusion that you are home by using timers on lights, radios and TV's. Making your residence appear occupied, even when no one is home, will deter criminals. criminals.

* Never leave a message on your telephone answering machine telling people that you are away from home.

* Do not keep valuables in your bedroom. Burglars normally make a beeline for the bedroom because they know that people tend to keep cash and jewelry there. Keep your valuables in an unlikely place. Keep the perimeter of your home well-lit. Install a low voltage outdoor lighting system. ng system.

* Get to know your neighbors. Establish that you can count on them and that they can count on you to report suspicious activities to the police. Nothing beats a cautious neighbor, ready to call 911, for burglary protection.

* Purchase an alarm system and display alarm signs as they are a visible deterrent. Include an audible horn or bell along with the automatic notification of the alarm company.