Practical Measures
6. Miscellaneous Security Features
Are motor vehicles garaged. Are per- sonal possessions and pictures/works of art marked.
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Recommendations - but first some data we should know before we embark on our own survey:-
Some Statistics TRUE OR FALSE?
1. Most burglaries occur during hours of darkness FALSE
2. Violence during burglaries is
rare TRUE
3. Some domestic burglaries are committed without forced entry
TRUE
4. Approx 80% of burglars have no particular property in mind TRUE
NB.
Re 1 above- Studies of burglaries have shown that the majority of residential burglaries take place between the hours of 1000 - 1600, peak period between 1300 - 1600.
Re 2 above- If disturbed his primary objective is to escape a. without being seen and b. without physical contact. TRUE OR FALSE?
1. The most vulnerable points of entry are the areas hidden from public view TRUE
2. Detached houses are more vulnerable than other houses
TRUE
3. Semi’s are more vulnerable than terraced TRUE
4. Purpose built blocks of flats are more vulnerable than any other dwelling TRUE
Re 1 above- Entry gained via front, back or side of a dwelling varies with the type of dwelling (det, semi, flat or terr), but, as a general rule, most house burglaries take place at the rear of a dwelling.
Re 2 above- Detached are most vulnerable, as it gives 4 possible sides of entry.
Re 3 above- Semi’s without a garage are more vulnerable as they usually have a side access to the rear. . Linked with a garage are therefore less vulnerable. Terraced houses having a back to back garden are the least prone to burglary due to the degree of difficulty of in gaining access to the rear.
Re 4 above - purpose built flats are vulnerable, particularly if on the ground floor.
Risk Assessment - Outside
(tick how it applies to your dwelling) Risk Assessment Form
Neighbourhood YES NO
High Risk Medium Risk Low Risk
(If not sure ask your local CPO)
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Type Of House YES NO
Detached Semi Terraced Flat
Points Of Entry YES NO
Is your home accessible from : Front Only Front & Side Front & Back Front, Sides & Back
Perimeter Or Boundary OK NOT GOOD Does Your Property have:- A Wall A Fence Railings A Gate Bushes, shrubs External lighting Is Entry Through:- A front Door A side door A back door French windows The Garage (attached) Patio Door
Ground floor windows Windows available by climbing
A skylight A cellar door
Burglar alarms do work in conjunction with other deterrent efforts. A deter- mined burglar will not be deterred by an alarm and these days most go ignored. But as another piece in the overall jigsaw, alarms do work and help build up an ‘unattractive’ target for the would be burglar. In the UK make sure they conform to BS4737.
If you find yourself confused and unable to assess the security require- ments for your home call the local Police Crime Prevention Officer.
Domestic Violence
Still a large problem and one this book is unable to tackle. If you are a victim of physical, emotional, or sexual assault in your home or elsewhere you must call the police. They have the Domestic Violence Unit who you can ask to be put through to.
Ego!
Try not to let your ego get in the way of your personal safety -
Former Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies told newsmen how his heiress wife was knifed by intruders during a horrifying attack on their home.
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The Express Wed 6/9/96
The gang escaped with valuables at least worth £100,000 after having slashed Lisa Davies arm and threatening the couples housekeeper, during the robbery at their home in London’s exclusive Hampstead. Police were studying the links between this attack and similar robberies in exclusive parts of London. The month before the Earl and Countess of Dudley were attacked in their Kensington home by two masked raiders who escaped with a fortune in jewellry.
Police believe gangs deliberately target wealthy couples after checking the pages of society magazines like Tatler and Hello magazines to identify victims. Ego Eh!
Best Practise
It is standard procedure when we have a client for whom we are providing Close Protection to advise against any photographs of their homes and offices. There can be nothing worse than to appear in Hello, with the photos showing the aerial view of your home, views of the principal rooms and the Rembrandts on the walls and the smiling family decked out in their finest and most expensive jewellry.
If there are any family dogs they are usually in the shots and if they aren’t
it’s pretty safe to assume there are no dogs- Ego EH!
Credit Card Fraud
In 1996 thieves and fraudsters ran up a bill of £97 million on debit and credit cards belonging to other people. There was an average of £400 spent on each card with £300 being spent before it was reported - which means the holder is not necessarily entitled to get the money back. Always report a stolen card the moment you know it has gone. In 1996 462,000 Barclaycards were stolen or lost world-wide and 377,000 Connect cards. About half the cards used fraudulently were stolen in burglaries, car break-ins, muggings and pick-pocketing. With one car being broken into every minute in the UK cards left in vehicles are particularly at risk and, in fact, one in seven Barclaycards or Barclay’s Connect cards stolen was taken from a car. Credit card fraud doesn’t require the offender to physically have hold of your card. Remember, all your credit card details are on a transaction receipt and people leave them in all sorts of places. Often they are left in shopping trolleys, or thrown away and there are instances where receipts have been pulled out of dustbins. Once a crook gets hold of your credit card details he
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can buy by phone or these days over the Internet, always coming up with a convincing reason to the retailer as to why the delivery address is different from the card address. Still, though, 60% of fraudulent transactions take place over the counter, but many organisations like Barclays track spending trends of clients and may ask for a ‘person check’ if a particular purchase is out of the ordinary.
What You Can Do:-
Sign new cards immediately they arrive and cut up your old cards when they expire.
•
Don’t write down your PIN and never disclose it to anyone, even if they claim to be from your bank or the police.•
Never leave cards unattended in a bag, briefcase or pocket in a public place. Keep your bag or briefcase on your lap and if you leave it on the floor secure the strap.•
When using your credit card, ask for and destroy any carbon paper from the transaction. Don’t throw it in a public rubbish bin - crooks may retrieve it and use your number, but be sure to keep your own copy and check it against your statement•
Report lost or stolen cards to your bank or building society immediately by using the 24 hour emergency telephone number on your state- ment.•
Consider registering with a card protection scheme- particularly if you have several cards. The level of insurance cover is good for the premium charged.Fire in the Home
Every year in the UK more than 14,500 people are injured and 700 die as a result of fire in the home. It would be remiss of me not to include a section on fire prevention in any book on personal security. Over 100 fires break out every day at an estimated cost of £640 million each year.
Now you’re about to lose your credit cards, cheque book, keys and other personal details.
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Many of the 65,300 domestic fires each year could be prevented
1. Chip pan fires are one of the most common causes of fire in the home in 1993, in the UK. There were nearly 17,200 such fires in the home leading to 33 deaths and 3,600 non-fatal injuries.
- Never fill a pan more than one third full of fat or oil and do not leave it unattended when the heat is switched on. If the pan does catch fire, don’t move it and don’t throw water on it. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so, cover the pan with a damp cloth or towel and leave it to cool for 30 mins. (If anybody who is reading this book actually cooks chips at home you need to read “Fit To Fight” and think about changing your diet -tubby!)
2. Remember 1 socket - 1 plug! Sockets can overheat and start a fire if several adaptors are being used. Always make sure plugs and adaptors have the correct fuses for the appliance and look for worn, or fraying flexes. Know the danger signs - fuses blowing, lights flickering, or brown scorch marks on sockets and plugs. If you have any doubts call a qualified electrician.
3. Switch off and unplug electrical appliances when they are not in use and never leave them on overnight. Some appliances are, however,
designed to be left on and if you’re not sure check with the manufacturer or the shop where you bought it.
4. Fires from cigarettes, cigars and pipes lead to more deaths than any other causes. In 1993 there were over 6,000 fires in the home caused by smokers materials, leading to 172 deaths (32% of the total number of fatalities in the home) and over 2,000 injuries.
- Do not leave a pipe, cigarette, or cigar unattended and make sure you stub out any materials before going to bed. Avoid smoking in bed (any reader who smokes or smokes in bed needs a serious dose of intellect, or read ‘Fit To Fight’, practise some of the drills and then have a fag!)
5. Always keep portable heaters away from furniture, furnishings and flammable items such as clothing and newspapers.
6. Children, because of their natural curiosity, can be at great risk from fire. Children should not be left alone in the house, or alone in a room where there are portable heaters, cookers or an open fire. Keep children away from matches and cookers and always have a fixed guard around an open fire. 7. Do not rest clothes or put newspapers on a guard around an
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open fire - they can catch fire or get too hot to handle and cause burns. Get the chimney swept every year and rake out the fire at night.
8. Electric blankets cause nearly 2,000 fires each year in the UK.
Have your blanket serviced each year in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. Never use a blanket which has singe marks or exposed ele- ments and ensure it has British Standard BS3456 and BEAB on it. When you buy a new blanket check for ‘overheat protection’ which causes the electricity to cut out if it gets too hot. Unplug blankets when you get into bed unless they are marked as being suitable for use all night.
DIY - The majority of fires are caused by carelessness or ignorance. If power tools smell too hot or they spark excessively then take them to a specialist repairer for an overhaul. Soldering irons should not be left unattended when on and always use a proper rest or cradle. Always clear away wood shavings and rags and check that tools are properly wired. 10. Do not tackle a blaze unless you are sure its safe to do so - get everyone out and call the fire brigade. If you are trapped by fire, shut the door, put a blanket or carpet at the bot-
tom of the door and call for help from the window. Know your escape routes in advance and make sure those routes are clear.
Finally get a smoke alarm, for over half the deaths are due to smoke inhalation. An alarm won’t cost you much money and is easy to install. Many fires happen at night, so if you don’t have a smoke alarm there is nothing to wake you up, apart from the clanking of the Pearly Gates closing behind you.
First Aid
It is important that one or preferably all adults and children are versed and up to date in emergency first aid. There are now many very good ‘short’ courses available in most communities that there should be no excuse for ignorance in this area. I don’t want to ‘pad out’ this book with first aid tips as in the UK every home should have a copy of the excellent First Aid Manual authorised by St. John Ambulance, St. Andrews Ambulance Association and British Red Cross. At the time of writing it is in it’s 6th Edition and is first class. Also every adult should take the time to attend at least a one day ‘save a life course’ .
6
A
ny reader who has the Modern Bodyguard, or who is familiar with Close Protection procedures, will be equally familiar with the distinction between ‘Vehicle Security’ and ‘Mobile Security.’ The former is to do with the security of the vehicle, essentially, when it is static and your own personal security in relation to the vehicle.In Chapter 1 there was reference by the Nashville Metro PD about
‘Transitions’ i.e. the changes we
make from, say, the home or office to the street, from home or office to a vehicle, from the vehicle to being on foot and vice versa. Transitions are statistically dangerous times as it is at these points when we become most preoccupied with the mechanics of the transition i.e. fumbling in our purse or pockets for keys, getting the key in the
lock, either at the front door or the car door.
Kidnappings, as an example, occur in or near the vehicle close to the home. This is as a result of a number of factors favouring the attackers. First, they will ‘track’ your routine i.e. travel timings and routes. Second, your route probably presents some good opportunities, but third and most important you will be ‘switched off’ in the relative safety of your car, having just left, or about to reach the comfort of your own home and when you feel secure.
Mornings are worse as people usually take the first mile or so to sort things out e.g. radio, misted screen, seat adjustment, car phone, etc. They mentally ‘surface’ about 5 blocks away and then concentrate on the journey. This is why so many accidents occur close to the domestic residence.