Day or Night - Who is Watching Your House?

www.BlackhawkLivingCA.com

@BlackhawkLivingCA

By Aaron “Wally” Barger, Resident since 2012

Home security is an integral part of a person’s sense of safety. However, many of us need to enhance even our basic level of protection. Burglaries and home invasions, although not common in Blackhawk, are a very disruptive force in a family’s life both financially and emotionally.

Homeowners have many options in providing adequate coverage and protection from burglaries and robberies. Modern technology offers a wide range of methods to ensure personal property protection.

As I have noted in previous articles, the simple act of strategically leaving a few lights inside and outside of your home at night can be an effective deterrent.

Here are a few ideas that may prove useful for nighttime protection. The first is to always keep at least one interior night light on all night. The second is to keep an outside light in the front and in the back of your house on all night long. The third, and even better, is to install a series of motion sensitive lights that surround the exterior of your house and property.

A number of homes in Blackhawk have increased lighting their homes in much the way just described. But, the fact that crimes of opportunity can strike day or night requires all of us to consider ways in which we can better protect our home and property.

For example, there are several other security systems that can add to your family’s safety and protection. The first is a simple door chime and camera system. A more elaborate method of security is to include a network of alarm sensors throughout the house, which are motion sensitive or activated by opening a door or window. Far more sophisticated alarm services include motion detection cameras, with night vision capability, networked throughout the interior and exterior of the home and property

If you have any questions about security systems for your home and property, contact the Blackhawk Police Department at 925-646- 2441 for additional information. If you see a suspicious individual peeking into your home or on your property, do not approach or confront suspicious individuals. Instead, call the Blackhawk Police at 925-646-2441.

A number of Neighborhood Watch programs have been formed in Blackhawk. If you or a neighbor have a interest in forming a Neighborhood Watch program in your area, contact me by email at aaron.barger@yahoo.com. You can also contact the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Crime Prevention Unit, ask for Christina Lind-Winters at 925-313-2682 for additional information or to schedule an orientation meeting.