Burglars Targeting Homes During Funerals
Don’t Be the Next Victim Breaking into and robbing someone’s home has always been a very low thing to do, so there is no such thing as an honorable burglar. However, there is a such thing as a burglar stooping to the lowest of lows and that’s when they break into someone’s home during a funeral. This is a terrible act that is happening all around the country. Burglars are scouring the obituaries, getting the names of the next of kin so they can target their homes while they’re gone. Recently, one woman went to her mother’s funeral. When she returned, her home had been broken into and electronics were missing. Straight from the Burglar One of the comments the robbery victim made was, “I wish I had a home security system.” She then lamented about how her neighborhood has always been relatively quiet. Break-ins aren’t common there, so the need for a security alarm simply wasn’t something that had ever crossed her mind. She lived in the community her entire life, so such things as surveillance cameras, motion detectors, and a security alarm were never priorities. Many of the once safe communities around the Rochester area have noticed an uptick in break-ins, which takes away the sense of security that many people once had. What burglars are doing is going through the obituaries and looking for spouses, children, or grandchildren of the deceased. They can identify them on social media where they can find out their age. By simply knowing a person’s age, they can do a people search on the internet and find an address. It is that simple. Obituaries provide a lot of information about survivors, such as what cities they live in and who their spouses are. It can also be easy to identify which children are theirs. This makes it much easier to identify the exact person referenced in the obituary. The burglar knows that those individuals will not be home during the service for at least a couple of hours. They then case the house and determine how their plan will be executed. Preventing Burglaries During Funerals It is important to do what you can to avoid a burglary during a funeral. In just a matter of minutes, a burglar from go from the obituary to looking at your home via Google Maps to find vulnerabilities. Here is what you can do: Invest in surveillance cameras. Not only will they help you when you are at a funeral, but also while you are at work, out of town, visiting a friend, or doing anything away from home. With remote access, you can keep an eye on your home while gone. When a burglar arrives, you can capture their face. Have a security system installed. When a burglar accesses the home, the alarm will sound and the authorities will be alerted. Most of the time, an alarm runs a burglar off very quickly. Have someone watch the home while you are gone. It is good to have a friend come by to keep an eye on things if you are going to be gone for a while. If a burglar sees someone is there, they aren’t going to come inside. If someone can’t house sit for you, tell your neighbors you’ll be gone so they can keep an eye on things. When your home is under surveillance or has an alarm, make it known. You can post notices or alarm signage outside of the home, which tells burglars that they don’t have a chance. Contact An Experienced Rochester Alarm Company Don’t fall victim to funeral burglars. Even if you feel your neighborhood is safe, you never know when someone will take a chance and break into your home while you’re gone. This is a terrible trend that is growing in frequency, but you can cut the burglar off at the pass by calling SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348 and seeing how home security can keep you, your family, and your property safe.
Home Security Systems and the Elderly
Security Systems Protect the Elderly As we get older and our children grow up and move out, we may downsize our house or make other changes. While these changes occur, our home security systems must change as well. The alarm system that fits your family’s needs right now might not fit your needs as you get older. Whether it is the cold winter months when elderly people go to a place where it is warmer out of preference or medical reasons or any time of the year, alarm systems are always important to have. Elderly individuals and security alarms are like the four seasons (winter, spring, summer and fall) only they three seasons in life (medical, daily routines and second home). Three types of alarms that elderly people should have as time goes on are a medical alarm, home automation, and remote control access. Home Security Systems for Elderly Individuals’ Homes Medical Alarm Many elderly individuals as they get older will experience a great number of health issues. Some of the healthy issues will be either uncontrollable or cause individuals to fall. A medical alarm system won’t prevent bad health but will help an elderly individual in the case of an emergency. This type of alarm is easy for elderly people to access with just the push of a button. Because this alarm is available for elderly homeowners, it is great for them so that they are able to live on their own and live without fear longer. Home Automation Young people and elderly people are different when it comes to keeping a routine and, generally, it’s the elderly that do a better job. An elderly person who likes to stay in a daily routine will benefit greatly from having a home automation alarm. With this alarm, if they get up and go to bed at the same time, they can set the alarms for those times of the day. Home automation is also much more convenient for people of all ages because you can keep track of what is happening at all times. The technical things become a bit easier. Remote Control Access Elderly people remind us of birds. Once it starts getting colder out they both head south. While they are not home and if they don’t feel comfortable having someone come to their house, having an alarm system with remote control access can give them the ability to run their home without having to be there. Going south for warmer weather, visiting their children, grandchildren, friends or going on vacation any time of the year can give elderly homeowners the assurance they need to make sure their house is safe. Not only do elderly homeowners need certain alarms systems to ensure safety for health and their home but they need to make sure they get all the basics as well. Many elderly homeowners, when scheduling to get their security alarm installed, should make sure they get everything they need that will benefit them. Contact Your Rochester Home Security Company If you or any elderly homeowner you know may be looking for a security alarm system, contact SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348.
Home Security in the New Year
Make a Security Resolution The new year is almost here and so is the long list of New Year’s resolutions that you want to commit to so you can improve your life. One of the ways you can improve your life is through your level of home security. These are resolutions that can be applied to business security as well, such as adding surveillance cameras where they need to be or upgrading existing cameras to ones that have better picture quality. Regardless of whether you need improved security for home or business reasons, here is a list of home security resolutions that you can use to make life a bit safer for you, your family, your belongings, your business, or all your interests: Improve Your Habits Make sure doors are locked, the security system is set, batteries are changed in smoke detectors, and that lights are on when they need to be. Install timers for lights, especially before going on vacation, and make sure you have good outdoor security. A home or business that is lit up is one a thief is more likely to stay away from. Consider Adding Extra Security It may not be enough to have an alarm because thieves can strike other parts of your property. Surveillance cameras can capture who is outside. If someone breaks into an outbuilding or tries to break into your house, you can acquire footage that will help authorities catch the culprits. Replace Outdated Security Systems It is good for homeowners and business owners to replace outdated security systems. If your system is old, you could do better. Systems now have fire and carbon monoxide detection built in. You can add motion detectors and more sensors. There are many possibilities. All you have to do is talk to a security company that specializes in advanced systems. It is even possible to turn your home into a smart home, which makes life more convenient for you. Home automation is becoming very hot with the ability to remotely arm the security system, unlock doors, turn lights on and off, and even adjust the thermostat. All of this can be done from a smartphone. Change Your Passcode If you already have a security system, it is good to change your passcode. Having the same passcode all the time is a security risk. In fact, it is good to change it a couple times a year. Now is a good time to change it for the first time this year. Make sure you give the new code to everyone who needs to have it and remind them not to share it with anyone. Lock Outside Buildings If you have outside buildings on your property, keep them locked. Add outside video surveillance to give better security. You also want motion lights so that they are triggered when someone comes on the property. Light is always a good defense against burglars. Buy a Fireproof Safe If you haven’t already, you need a fireproof safe. While the security system, motion sensors, video cameras, and window and door sensors are all designed to keep thieves out, having valuables in a fireproof safe can give them even more protection in case someone does get in. One of the first places a thief visits when inside a home is the bedroom. When inside a business, they will go to the office in hopes they can find money, catch a cash register on the way, or break into the safe. Call Your Rochester Home Security Company To make yourself safer this year, consider investing in a modern home security or business security system. If your home or business is ever broken into or someone attempts to do so, you will be very glad that you protected everything you care about in this way. Call SPS Fire & Security today at 585-770-0348 to learn more.