Cut Your Chances of Being Burglarized

Do you remember taking quizzes in those teenaged glamour magazines when you were a kid? Well, here is a quiz to take as a homeowner to help you cut your chances of being burglarized.  

Where do you live?

a) Downtown, where there are lots witnesses (3 points)

b) In the burbs, where privacy is paramount (0 points)

c) In an affluent neighborhood that borders a bad one (-10 points)

d) In the big yellow farmhouse 12 miles past the general store (30 points)

Your windows are...

a) Open for fresh air circulation even when nobody is at home (-10 points)

b) Overgrown with bushes that could hide an intruder (-5 points)

c) Latched shut whenever we go out or hit the sack (5 points)

d) We've planted razor-sharp pyracantha, holly or rose bushes under them (5 points)

What kind of burglar alarm do you have?

a) A state of the art $2000 sysytem for which we pay $35 a month in monitoring (20 points)

b) The same system above that we don't really turn on very often (-5 points)

c) None, but we've posted alarm signs that I bought for $20 at mysecuritysign.com (15 points)

d) Alarm? What alaram? We don't even lock the house (-10 points)

Do you have a dog?

a) Yes, a Napoleonic shih Tzu who barks at everyone (20 points)

b) Yes, a Rottweiler with attitude (30 points)

c) No, but I bought a $4 BEWARE OF DOG sign at petco.com (5 points)

Where is your spare key? 

a) Under the welcome mat, of course (-10 points)

b) Inside a none-too-convincing 'hide-a-key' rock (-5 points)

c) With a trusted neighbor (5 points)

If you scored...

10 or under: Use the details in this quiz as a blueprint for securing your home. Now!
11 to 24: You're somewhate vulnerable.  Lower your risk with the tricks above.

25-39: Breath easily.  Your house is probably a tougher target than your neighbor's.

40 or over: Your insurance agent should buy you a steak! 

Summertime is the prime-time for breaking and entering.  However, anytime is a good time to make your house look like a difficult target! Visit the National Crime Prevention Council's Web site at www.ncpc.org for all kinds of information on preventing crime.

We, at Julie Pogue Properties, always want our families, friends and clients to be safe rather than sorry! 

Hope you all have a terrific week!