Quick Tips: protecting your home from burglars

SAN ANTONIO – Sheriff Javier Salazar offers these quick tips for keeping your home safe from intruders.

Recommendations for outside doors:

Unless safety for elderly or children is a concern, Salazar says single cylinder deadbolt locks are recommended.

Installing 3-4" long screws increase strength and security to doors, Salazar says.

The sheriff says sliding glass doors should be equipped with secondary locking devices, such as dowel rods and overhead pin locks, to prevent the door from being lifted.

Recommendations for garage doors:

According to Salazar, if you're going to be away for extended periods of time, garage doors should be secured with secondary locking devices.

The sheriff says you should also secure the emergency cord by removing the plastic handle.

Attic doors should be secured with hasp and lock, Salazar says.

Recommendations for windows:

Salazar recommends windows have a secondary locking device. This can be things such as a wooden dowel rod, a metal clamp or a window pin.

The sheriff also recommends covering all windows and glass doors with a window film to add more security and prevent the glass from breaking.

Other recommendations:

  • Take photos of your property, for insurance purposes, in case it is stolen or vadalized.
  • Save pictures, videos, or a list of items with serial numbers and personal identifiers in the cloud, so you can always have access to them. 
  • Install a monitored security system.
  • Install motion sensor lights on the back porch and garage door.
  • Place thorn-type plants along windows and fences.
  • Keep gates locked at all times.
  • Keep landscaping and shrubbery trimmed for good visibility.

About the Authors:

Max Massey is the GMSA weekend anchor and a general assignments reporter. Max has been live at some of the biggest national stories out of Texas in recent years, including the Sutherland Springs shooting, Hurricane Harvey and the manhunt for the Austin bomber. Outside of work, Max follows politics and sports, especially Penn State, his alma mater.