BEING ALERT WHEREVER YOU ARE
Presented by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office

STAYING SAFE AT HOME

Make sure all doors are sturdy and keep them locked at all times. Entry doors should be made of a solid wood at least 1& 3⁄4 inches thick or metal.

Good locks, such as a deadbolt with a 1-inch throw and a metal strike plate, are a must. Do not rely on chain locks. Hire a reputable professional to install your locks.
Move exterior door hinges to the interior or install non-removable hinge pins.
Install secondary locks on sliding glass doors.
Install a wide-angle peephole so you can fully view what is outside.
Always acknowledge a knock at the door without opening the door. Never let unknown callers know you are alone.
If the person won’t go away, call the police.
Do not allow any stranger into your home. If a stranger asks to use your telephone, get the information and place the call
yourself.
Make sure all windows are securely locked.
Put curtains or blinds on all windows and keep them closed at night.
When moving into a house or apartment, change or rekey all locks.
If door keys are lost, change the locks or rekey immediately.

Be sure the exterior of your home is well-lit at night.
Do not hide door keys outside.
Avoid giving your house keys to anyone other than family members or trusted friends.
Use your initials rather than your first name in the phone book and on your mailbox to disguise your gender,
especially if you are a single female.
When returning to your house or apartment, have your keys out in order to enter as quickly as possible.
Do not leave ladders or tools outside; someone could use them to break into your home.
Install outdoor motion-detecting lights and keep shrubs neatly trimmed. This will allow your neighbors to detect any suspicious activity outside your home.
If you sense something is out of place or your home or apartment has been tampered with, do not enter. Call the police.

If you hear a prowler inside your house or apartment, exit the home as quickly as possible.
Avoid any confrontations.
Call the police as soon as possible.

When away for an extended period of time, cancel mail and suspend newspaper delivery. An accumulation of mail and
newspapers is a sure tip-off that no one is home. For shorter vacations, arrange to have a neighbor collect your mail.
Have a trusted neighbor watch your home when you are away. Many burglaries could be stopped or prevented if only
more people would report suspicious happenings. Tell the neighbor where you will be, how to contact you, and how
long you will be gone.
Be sure your home looks lived in. Leave some interior lights on while gone. Set several timers to turn lights on and off
automatically.

Keep your trailer locked at all times and keep the key with you even if you are working on repairs to a building on
the same lot. This helps secure your trailer from theft or intruders while your attention is directed elsewhere.
Make sure the outside of your trailer or home and the surrounding areas are well-lit.
Secure your tools and building equipment when they are not in use. If you are unable to lock the house, use a permanent
or portable shed that can be locked.
Get to know your neighbors and initiate a Neighborhood Watch (see details on page 9). Report any suspicious activity.
Avoid giving contractors a key to your home. Instead, arrange to meet them there or unlock the house for them each morning. Lock up when work is finished each day. If you must share your key, change the locks once the work is complete. This will help prevent future break-ins if copies of your key were produced.
If you witness criminal activity occurring in your trailer park or neighborhood, call 911. If you don’t report it, the criminal
activity may get worse.