Burglary Prevention Clecklist for Homes>

BURGLARY PREVENTION CHECKLIST FOR HOMES

This checklist was designed to help you make a security survey of your own home.

The first purpose of a home security inspection is to identify features in your home or daily routines of your family which might make your home an easy target for a burglar.

The security inspection should begin at your front door, include an inspection of all your doors and windows, locks, lights and landscaping. Each question on the checklist which you answer with an "x" or a check mark in the second column indicates a security weakness or hazard which requires your attention.

If you would like professional advice and assistance in a thorough home security inspection, call your local law enforcement agency.

DOORS

1 Are all outside doors in the house of metal or solid wood construction? Yes____ No____

2 Are door frames strong enough and tight enough to prevent forcing or spreading? Yes____ No____

3 Are door hinges protected from removal from the outside? Yes____ No____

4 Are there windows in any door or within 40 inches of the locks? Yes____ No____

5 Are all door locks adequate and in good repair? Yes____ No____

6 Are strikes and strike plates adequate and properly installed? Yes____ No____

7 Can the locking mechanism be reached through a mail slot, delivery port or pet entrance at the door? Yes____ No____

8 Is there a screen or storm door with an adequate lock? Yes____ No____

9 Are all entrances lighted with at least a 40 watt light? Yes____ No____

10 Can front entrances be observed from the street or public area? Yes____ No____

11 Does the porch or landscaping offer concealment from view from the street or public area? Yes____ No____

12 If there is a sliding glass door, is the sliding panel secured from being lifted out of its track? Yes____ No____

13 Is the "charley-bar" or a key operated auxiliary lock used on sliding glass doors? Yes____ No____

ENTRANCES FROM GARAGE AND BASEMENT

14 Are all entrances to the living quarters from a garage or basement of metal or solid wood construction? Yes____ No____

15 Does the door from the garage to the living quarters have locks adequate for exterior entrances? Yes____ No____

16 Does the door from the basement to the living quarters have an adequate lock operated from the living quarters side? Yes____ No____

WINDOWS

17 Do all windows have adequate locks in operating condition? Yes____ No____

18 Do windows have screens or storm windows that lock from the inside? Yes____ No____

19 Do any windows open into areas that may be hazardous or offer special risk to burglary? Yes____ No____

20 Do windows that open into hazardous areas have security screens or grills? Yes____ No____

21 Are exterior areas of windows free from concealing structure or landscaping? Yes____ No____

22 Is the exterior adequately lighted at all window areas? Yes____ No____

23 Are trees and shrubbery kept trimmed back from upper floor windows? Yes____ No____

24 Are ladders kept outside the house where they are accessible? Yes____ No____

BASEMENT DOORS AND WINDOWS

25 Is there a door from the outside to the basement? Yes____ No____

26 If so, is that door adequately secure for an exterior door? Yes____ No____

27 Is the outside basement entrance lighted by an exterior light of at least 40 watts? Yes____ No____

28 Is the outside basement door concealed from the street or neighbors? Yes____ No____

29 Are all basement windows adequately secured against entrance? Yes____ No____

GARAGE DOORS AND WINDOWS

30 Is the automobile entrance door to the garage equipped with an adequate locking device? Yes____ No____

31 Is the garage door kept closed and locked at all times? Yes____ No____

32 Are the garage windows secured adequately for ground floor windows? Yes____ No____

33 Is the outside utility entrance to the garage as secure as required for any ground floor entrance? Yes____ No____

34 Are tools and ladders kept in the garage? Yes____ No____

35 Are all garage doors lighted on the outside by at least a 40 watt light? Yes____ No____

This Burglary Prevention Checklist
is provided compliments of
the Ruston Police Department and
National Sheriffs' Association.
Please feel free to print and use this checklist
to help you make a security survey of your home.

Back to the start...

The Ruston Police Department Web Pages were created and maintained by Captain Jim Hilton.

1	Are all outside doors in the house of metal or solid wood construction?	Yes____ No____
2	Are door frames strong enough and tight enough to prevent forcing or spreading?	Yes____ No____
3	Are door hinges protected from removal from the outside?	Yes____ No____
4	Are there windows in any door or within 40 inches of the locks?	Yes____ No____
5	Are all door locks adequate and in good repair?	Yes____ No____
6	Are strikes and strike plates adequate and properly installed?	Yes____ No____
7	Can the locking mechanism be reached through a mail slot, delivery port or pet entrance at the door?	Yes____ No____
8	Is there a screen or storm door with an adequate lock?	Yes____ No____
9	Are all entrances lighted with at least a 40 watt light?	Yes____ No____
10	Can front entrances be observed from the street or public area?	Yes____ No____
11	Does the porch or landscaping offer concealment from view from the street or public area?	Yes____ No____
12	If there is a sliding glass door, is the sliding panel secured from being lifted out of its track?	Yes____ No____
13	Is the "charley-bar" or a key operated auxiliary lock used on sliding glass doors?	Yes____ No____

14	Are all entrances to the living quarters from a garage or basement of metal or solid wood construction?	Yes____ No____
15	Does the door from the garage to the living quarters have locks adequate for exterior entrances?	Yes____ No____
16	Does the door from the basement to the living quarters have an adequate lock operated from the living quarters side?	Yes____ No____

17	Do all windows have adequate locks in operating condition?	Yes____ No____
18	Do windows have screens or storm windows that lock from the inside?	Yes____ No____
19	Do any windows open into areas that may be hazardous or offer special risk to burglary?	Yes____ No____
20	Do windows that open into hazardous areas have security screens or grills?	Yes____ No____
21	Are exterior areas of windows free from concealing structure or landscaping?	Yes____ No____
22	Is the exterior adequately lighted at all window areas?	Yes____ No____
23	Are trees and shrubbery kept trimmed back from upper floor windows?	Yes____ No____
24	Are ladders kept outside the house where they are accessible?	Yes____ No____

25	Is there a door from the outside to the basement?	Yes____ No____
26	If so, is that door adequately secure for an exterior door?	Yes____ No____
27	Is the outside basement entrance lighted by an exterior light of at least 40 watts?	Yes____ No____
28	Is the outside basement door concealed from the street or neighbors?	Yes____ No____
29	Are all basement windows adequately secured against entrance?	Yes____ No____

30	Is the automobile entrance door to the garage equipped with an adequate locking device?	Yes____ No____
31	Is the garage door kept closed and locked at all times?	Yes____ No____
32	Are the garage windows secured adequately for ground floor windows?	Yes____ No____
33	Is the outside utility entrance to the garage as secure as required for any ground floor entrance?	Yes____ No____
34	Are tools and ladders kept in the garage?	Yes____ No____
35	Are all garage doors lighted on the outside by at least a 40 watt light?	Yes____ No____