Are Those Spikes Along The Side of Your Building or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

Uhhhhhh. What. In. The. Heck. Is. This?!?! Oh and can I get one, please? For my house.

Not just electronic security... we can also assist with physical security. #protectingyourproperty

A post shared by Morse Fire & Security (@morse_security) on Mar 14, 2018 at 7:22am PDT

OMG. I TOTES WANT THIS LOCK!!!

Yeah. I know. Me too. I TOTALLY want one of these. If you want more information on how you can get one, then you should probably click here and sign up to be on their mailing list.

https://www.bowleylockcompany.com/

Also, here's a video of the lock's mechanics in animation. Yeah. It's pretty freaking awesome. I'd like to mention this lock gives me hope. As a non-fan of the consumer lock industry, this lock is a VERY development for the sector. Unpickable. Unbumpable. That said, you should probably look at other door strengthening techniques just in case your adversary doesn't bring a pick or have a key bump but has a good size boot and a decent pair of thighs.

Product Review: Sighthound

One of the first topic areas that caught my eye was video analytics. As a video surveillance monitor for a lot of my career in physical security, I felt I had a good grasp on why most surveillance systems fail to detect bad guys as much as they should. If you're a physical security professional, you know where that weak link is as well - the monitors. Yup. It took me less than six months looking at video screens most of my day to understand most irregular events fail to go noticed or are properly assessed. This happens for a variety of reasons:

• Monitor fatigue. This happens when a monitor stares at a screen for too long and either falls asleep or becomes easily distracted. We're humans and no one likes gazing at an empty parking lot for hours on end. So, the mind begins to wonder and bad things can happen. If you'd like to learn more about monitor fatigue, this is a great resource. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alarm_fatigue (I know it's Wikipedia but as a primer, it's not too shabby)
• Monitors are expected to recognize irregular events in a huge ocean of regular benign events. That parking lot I mentioned before could have 400 cars in it and thousands of people coming and going. If mixed in with benign events, irregular events can appear to be okay and fit with the norm. This explains why some folks can get robbed right in front of a camera and no one notice.
• There are too many "rules" to remember and act upon on too many feeds for a single monitor. Sometimes, with human monitors, too much video is just as bad as driving into someone else's headlights.

Where else are all these problems more demonstrative than in a home security environment? I have friends who have 6 or more cameras on a home and they call themselves "monitoring" those feeds constantly. No, you're not. What I find most often is the direct opposite - they're monitoring one or two cameras, maybe. The others go either unwatched or constantly recording over each other. So what's the solution to ensure all the feeds are being monitored and reporting and recording events as they occur?

Sighthound is a software application that acts as a monitoring platform with an embedded analytics package. You can not only monitor your feeds from various cameras but you can also have those feeds report only when "rules" are broken which include:

• A person entering a zone.
• Someone leaving a zone.
• Motion inside a zone.

The feeds can be viewed remotely. You have to pay for that feature, though, there is a trial version which includes this for 14 days. Given recent issues with Internet of Things being exploited for DDOS attacks, I highly recommend changing whatever default passwords that are on your cameras, ensuring the firewall on your router is working, and updating the firmware on the device. If you can run a scan to see what ports are open on your machine using the scanner at https://iotscanner.bullguard.com and close them, if possible. Also, check out routing the camera through a DNS provider like DynDNS.

I digress. While you can have the software email you or send a notification to the smartphone app, you can also have it do a myriad of options through IFTTT. The possibilities are almost endless from there. Oh and perhaps the most creative option and one I particularly like is the ability to execute a command should an event be triggered. For example, you could set it to send you a snapshot of the event and then shutdown your computer. Why is that cool? If your PC is full-disk encrypted, then you have just ensured a key mitigation piece is activated. You also have a picture or video of the event and can determine if you need to respond further.

What I like most about Sighthound is how quickly it responds to events. Almost 5 or 10 seconds after an event, I received a notification of the event and was able to view a snapshot. That's pretty cool when you consider how costly an enterprise system can be offering the same service.

There are some things I'd like to see it offer in the future:

• Security options. I'd like to password protect my remote feeds. This maybe here already and I just missed it. If so, I feel like this is kind of an understated feature.
• More event triggers. It covers the basics but I'd like to see triggers for things noise detection with those cameras that offer audio in their feeds.
• Possibly some interoperability with other devices. I'd love it if it could network with other sensors through the home and capture those events as well. Some proprietary device systems already do this but I'd like to see something that would allow me to work with events involving a smoke detector and my camera.

Overall, I THOROUGHLY love Sighthound. It has tremendous potential and is extremely affordable. I hope this is a new movement within the home security surveillance sector. I'd like to see less machines that can't or won't cooperate with other devices to successfully mitigate potentially dangerous events. It isn't perfect but I find it is certainly a great step in that direction.

As of now, I haven't reached out to the Sighthound team for an interview. I will soon, though. I'd love to hear what more they have to offer.

If you know of any other physical security applications or devices you'd like me to review, contact me via the "Contact Me" link above.

How To Get Your Family Interested in Security

A question I get asked sometimes is "How do I get my family interested in security?" The question, surprisingly enough, comes from security professionals who are passionate about what they do but find that their families either don't share their affinity for our trade or are rather lackadaisical about upholding mitigation techniques. Come on. Don't kid yourself. Your family could probably care less about security too. Your spouse probably says "That's why I have you, Mr./Mrs. Security Dude. That's your job." Yeah, I roll my eyes too.

As I stated in my previous podcast, you could pay $10,000 for the world's greatest door lock and have your entire mitigation ruined by a spouse or absent-minded child who forget to lock the door. It happens more than we like to admit. I also surmise it's why some of us are so passionate about security awareness training at work. Given that we view them sometimes as the "weak" link, let's look at how we can get them better at not just maintaining mitigation but also becoming independent security stakeholders.

1. Chill out and recognize who you're working with. You don't get to always hire friends and family. So, we're stuck with people who wouldn't know the difference between a padlock and deadbolt at times. And....why should they? "That's what you're here for" is a phrase I've heard countless times. Recognize the role you've taken as the security person of the house and how that has enabled them.
2. Don't scare them. We know things about the world in which we live that our families should never be exposed to. It's kind of why we do what we do, right? But ignorance isn't always bliss. In sales, I learned a term called "finding pain". It's a term used to describe learning what someone's personal security nightmare is and then exploiting that to get them to buy a proudct you sell to alleviate that "pain". Sounds pretty awful, huh? But it works. Do the same with your family. Ssssssssssllllllllllooooooowwwwwwwllllllllyyyyyy. This is where you explain to them how they could lose things they care about very easily if mitigation isn't there to stop the bad guy or at least aid in getting their valuables back or replaced. I have found explaining value and risk in its most basic and pure form has been very helpful with getting children on early as stakeholders. It takes a lot of time and patience but it is well worth it.
3. Invite them along to do a risk survey of the home. This sounds like something a bit too intense for your home but it's really not and rather easy to do.
• Give each person an area they're responsible for like their rooms or designated work/play areas.
• Have them inventory all of the items in that area they place value on. Tell them to ignore easily disposable items and clothes (absent something truly expensive).
• Also have them include photos of the most expensive items and to include any serial numbers if possible in the inventory.
• Give them value parameters. I make mine rather simple - irreplaceable, replaceable but painful to lose (cost too much or would take forever to get back), replaceable with very little to any pain. For smaller children, this could be a challenge so I encourage you to explain this a bit more in-depth and accompany them throughout the process.
4. Do your vulnerability assessments with them. We've identified things of value and the amount of pain it would create getting them back if it were possible. Now, have them look at all of the ways someone or something could make that risk a reality. For kids, you're going to have be patient and listen to every "ninja scenario". With boys, you'll hear this threat profile thrown around a lot. Get used to it. Explain the difference between a likely exploitable vulnerability and one's that will probably always remain vulnerabilities (Bad guys cutting a hole in your roof). Get out a map or overlay and have them articulate the vulnerability.
5. Address threats. Be sure to caution them to stay away from "thinking like a wolf" mentality. Most often, your family is a mix of really good people. So have them look at likely threats instead. With smaller kids, explain that because it's "likely" doesn't make it real. A bad guy could walk down the street and decide to randomly steal your kid - that doesn't mean every stranger is the bad guy. Explain that because we don't know every person who could be down the street means we can't exclude all of them as potential bad actors for certain crimes. This is also a good time to explain that most violent crimes occur when victims already know their attackers. If we know all good people, then we can reasonably say our probability of meeting harmful attackers is minimal. Crimes of opportunity can be more difficult to simply dismiss because the likelihood exists that you could be a victim of a stranger. Thus we have to mitigate that threat, as well. Discuss any sort of special security issues you face (i.e. any jilted lovers, enemies from prior jobs, stalkers, etc.). 
6. Buy door and window alarms from the Dollar Store and have them work through a variety of home security projects. My absolute favorite activity to do with children is building "booby-traps" with these Dollar Store gadgets. I have them take a map and examine their likely avenues of approach, chokepoints, and areas of final denial. Then, I talk about how the gadgets serve one purpose only - detection. Afterwards, we mark where the gadgets are on the map. Finally, it's time to deploy them. An old trick I learned was fishing line attached to magnet on the "alarm" and securing the sensor/annunciator to the object it's resting on. When the bad guy trips the wire that's wrapped around another object and attached on the other end to magnet, it will then yank the magnet from the sensor it's resting on and sound the alarm. Trust me. Kids love this activity.
7. Go over "secret" codes and how the alarm system at your home works. Sounds pretty basic but you'd be surprised how easy it is to get them on-board by having them understand how the control panel works. Maybe, you don't share the activation code but you can show them how to work the duress code and how to call for help. I like the idea of a "secret" code that's for everyone in the family only, as a way of building into the family a living duress code system for everyday use.
8. Next, go over contingency plans. Where do we go? What do we do? Who do we call? What are our "actions on contact"? Again, we're not making everyone in the house Jason Bourne but are making everyone in the house prepared for other events than just a house fire. Having a plan and even rehearsing that plan are absolutely key to having a comprehensive home security program.
9. Address access control. Growing up in my house, my mother would call this "Don't you let anyone in my house I didn't invite". Yeah, it was that serious. It's almost as if she was grooming me for this trade. Explain the rules for allowing people into the home. BE VERY FIRM HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH SMALL CHILDREN (WHO SHOULDN'T BE ANSWERING THE DOOR ANYWAYS).
10. Teach them situational awareness. This can be very challenging for some members of the family. Be patient and make it fun. I like to start with memory games by asking questions like "What was the color of the car outside as we pulled up?" or "What kind of hat did the guy walking down the street have on?" Do this enough times and you'll be in amazement with how fast they catch on.

Your experiences with this will certainly vary. I've had a lot luck here but I would be seriously remiss, if I didn't disclose that it's been challenging. The key is patience. Take your time. Understand the lay of the land. Most importantly, make this about us rather than about something you do.

Let me know if you have any ideas of your own.

A Totally Awesome DIY Security Project - Raspberry Pi Face Recognition Treasure Box

As you know, I'm currently working on a few DIY security projects to share with you guys. My favorite place to go for inspiration has been, Make. These folks do some seriously awesome DIY projects. Most of them beginner to intermediate-level DIYers can do themselves. While perusing their site, I found this gem:

Raspberry Pi Face Recognition Treasure Box - MAKE

MythBusters: Tennis Ball Used To Unlock Your Car - Myth BUSTED!

DIY Security Projects For This Year

Winter is sort-of, almost, hopefully over soon. Every summer, I set about teaching my son the various ways of my craft. Last summer, I did a DIY security project where me and my son built a booby-trap of sorts. We used Dollar Store magnetic window alarms, fishing line, and two-sided tape to create an audible tripwire alarm.

$3.00 Set-up Cost

Over the course of the last year since then, I have also created an audible duress alarm. I will post a video as well as a how-to later on.  Suffice it to say, this was an EXTREMELY fun project.

This year, I have several DIY security projects I'd like to build and deploy.

1. A motion sensor alarm using Raspberry Pi. I haven't decided whether I want the alarm to be just be audible or if I want it to be audible and tweet or send a text message when there's been a breach.
2. I created a duress alarm in my home, previously, using NFC tags in my car to be triggered when my phone made contact. This summer I'd like to expand on this with an NFC-enabled video surveillance system. More on this later.
3. I'm also interested in putting together a much more comprehensive security system in my home using basic battery power, online-purchased sensors, control panel, and monitoring station. I have a rough idea as to what I want. I may do a series of articles about this.
4. I'm also in the process of completing a covert surveillance project that has been demonstrated online.
5. Next year, I will embark on my biggest project - my very own DIY drone. This will take considerable time but I think it could be well worth it.
6. I also plan on doing a series of small but inexpensive (some FREE) DIY security projects. Look out for stories on DIY security containers and other cool stuff.

All of my projects are to help teach my son the ways of using inexpensive tools to provide sound mitigation and response to actual emergencies. I hope it will also demonstrate for him the value of doing things for yourself and how when done for providing protection for your family and yourself, it can be richly rewarding. Wish me luck and stand-by for a killer year.

Tactical Walls: Covert Arms Storage

INFOGRAPHIC: Charateristics of a Burglar

Black Hat USA 2013 - Let's Get Physical: Breaking Home Security Systems & Bypassing Controls

10 Ways to Help Mitigate and Repel Home Invasions

In my real world job, I come across many crimes. None of them is more troubling than home invasions. According to the Department of Justices' Bureau of Justice Statistics:

• An estimated 3.7 million burglaries occurred each year on average from 2003 to 2007.
• A household member was present in roughly 1 million burglaries and became victims of violent crimes in 266,560 burglaries
• Offenders were known to their victims in 65% of violent burglaries; offenders were strangers in 28%.
• Overall, 61% of offenders were unarmed when violence occurred during a burglary while a resident was present. About 12% of all households violently burglarized while someone was home faced an offender armed with a firearm.

Often, victims seem to picked at random or targeted by someone they know. However, in my experiences there a few things I think could mitigate the risks and the aftermath associated with home invasions.

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare, prepare. Seriously, prepare. Most people assume because they lock their doors and have a gun that will stop someone from coming into their homes. Sometimes it and sometimes it doesn't. In order to mitigate this crime, potential victims have to prepare for the unthinkable and oftentimes, unlikely - someone will come and eventually break into your home while you're there. Just like every other disaster, homeowners and tenants should make preparations as if it could happen.
2. NEVER EVER receive a visitor at a door you have never received someone at before. Many people who do home invasions often pick rear entrances to force their way inside. Think about it. Why don't you receive guests at your back door? Is it because it's dark, away from the drive, or is not in a place where you can see them approach? These are all of the reasons attackers love these entrances.
3. NEVER EVER leave a door open that you're not close enough to shut when needed. I get it. The weather is blazing hot. Your entire house feels like an oven and all you want is a breeze. So you leave a door open. If an attacker is looking places to commit this crime, an open door is too appetizing to pass up. No matter how heroic or brave you think you are, you can never react in enough time if an attacker can open an unlocked door into your home.
4. Consider a dog. I know. I know. Stop rolling your eyes. Seriously. Dogs can't fix everything and they are not a crime solution. However, if you live alone, a dog can be both an alarm and a defender. In a home invasion, you need all the help you can get. Imagine that it's 3am and you hear your backdoor being kicked in. So does your 100 pound German Shepherd. He goes to investigate or stays with you. Either way, there's a good chance whoever is in your home will know you have a dog (probably because he sank his teeth into the invaders flesh) or your neighbors could hear his bark.
5. Consider buying new windows or new window locks. Older windows are ideal for home invasions, primarily because they are difficult to adequately secure. Over time, people paint over their locks which then become immobilized. Many people never bother to check if the windows lock. Checking your window locks is very important and should be a part of your daily routine.
   
   

   

   (Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics)

   
   

   
   

6. Buy or build a duress alarm. I know this sounds a bit extreme and complicated. I can assure you that neither is true. I recently, built a home duress alarm for my home in less than 15 minutes using speaker wire, a rocker switch, a piezo siren, and D cell battery pack. Once I flip the switch, the same siren you hear on a car alarm is heard throughout my home. I won't divulge where I keep it but suffice it to say I have it somewhere I plan to go the second I hear or see someone break into my home. You should consider doing the same. If you don't have the materials to make one, you should buy a window/door alarm sold at "dollar stores" found across the United States. Just keep one near where you plan to be during a home invasion and activate it once it occurs. The sound will distract and alert the bad guy that you know they are there and so will most of your neighbors. Some alarm companies can install a duress alarm in your home that will emit a siren and call the police. I prefer my method only because I know firsthand that phone service can go down and cellular backups aren't installed in every home security system. Plus my method cost me $20 when I made it myself and was $2 when purchased as a window/door alarm.
   
   

   

   Here's a duress alarm I built. This is without an enclosure which I'll add soon enough

7. Have a phone at your bedside and wherever you are in your home. There's nothing worse than having someone break into your home, getting to your safe haven, and not having a phone to call the police. Have a phone near you at all times. In the military, it was a cardinal sin not to be within arm's length of your weapon at all times. I consider the same to be true of your phone. Also don't have a phone near you that won't work like a cell phone you know that doesn't get reception in your home. I also can reiterate the need to have a landline phone. Stop rolling your eyes. Seriously. If your cell phone doesn't work, you'll need to get help somehow. Trust me. You'll thank me later.
8. Figure out your safe haven. Many people call this a "panic room". I hate that term. During an emergency situation, you can't afford to panic. You need to be ready to fight off the attacker in a deliberate fashion. Ideal places for safe havens are places you and your loved ones can get to when the attack occurs. I also find it useful to think of this place as an area where I will make my last stand. In other words, should the attacker breach the door into this area I will use any and all force available to repel him. Should you find yourself in a position where you have to defend an area while your family moves to a safe haven, have a "password". You may find yourself having to gain entry into their safe haven should you believe the attacker has left or you have repelled him. Your family should know to never open the "safe haven" door unless they receive the "password". Consider giving the dispatcher this "password" so she can tell first responders and you can know if they are friend or foe.
9. Consider your armaments. Most people think a gun is the perfect solution. In some cases, it might very well be. This isn't a discussion about calibers or rifle vs handgun vs shotgun. This is about whether your weapons can and will repel an attacker. I can't tell you what to arm yourself with. There are some folks who are just as lethal with a carpenter's pencil as they are with a shotgun. What I will tell you is to ARM YOURSELF!! Trust me. Don't get caught without a weapon during an attack. You should have armaments stationed in places you can get to immediately during an attack. Whether it be a knife or a gun, have it ready and nearby. Also don't use something you haven't trained in using and retaining. An area most gun owners fail in doing is learning weapons retention skills. There are loads of classes and seminars on this topic. Do your research and learn about how to use and retain your armaments.
10. Secure places you have left unsecured. Sun Tzu says, "So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak." This is true in crime prevention. Your enemy will always hit you where you're not preparing for him at. That's why you check the first floor doors and windows, basement entrances to include windows, storm shelters, etc. Any place a human being could get into you should be checking daily for signs of weakness. 

INFOGRAPHIC: Top 5 Celebrity Break-ins

(click to enlarge)

Stealing the Spotlight infographic

INFOGRAPHIC: Tips and Facts You Need to Know About Break Ins

(Click to enlarge)

Source: eLocal.com

VIDEO: Top 10 Home/Office Security Camera Considerations

So you're thinking about buying a camera system for your home or office. Great. Buying a camera or an alarm system demands that certain criteria be met before purchase in order for them to meet your security requirements. Many people ask if I like this camera or that camera. I often find myself asking each customer the same things.

1. What exactly are you protecting and is it worth the hassle?
2. How credible is the threat?
3. Where do you want to place the camera?
4. What kind of security will the camera have?
5. What kind of video are trying to capture?
6. Can you monitor it?
7. Have you considered lighting?
8. Have you considered distance to the subject? Height?
9. What are your storage requirements?
10. Will you be turning over what you capture to a third party? If so, does the device you're contemplating have the ability to transfer your video to another device?

As always, if you're stuck and don't know what to do, find a home security system provider in your area. Our partners at homesecurity.inmyarea.com are an AWESOME resource. You can search for providers by zip code to determine who's the best in your area to consider. Well worth a look if you have a moment.

There are a ton of other considerations and things you can ponder on. So I put together the video above explaining my thoughts on what considerations if any you take a look into. As always, feel free to give any feedback particularly if I missed something.

Top Ten Ways To Protect Your Car and Those Shiny New Rims

So we've talked about how you can protect your home and your office. What haven't gone over and should is how to secure your car. This is perhaps the most frequent place people become victimized by criminals. There are a lot of reasons for this.  So let's go over a few and talk about how we can mitigate those issues and secure your car and the property inside of it.

1. People leave too many valuables in their cars. I can see my wife reading this and giving me the "Oh really, Einstein" look. Why? Because I'm guilty of this at times. We leave everything ranging from laptops with sensitive information to cash inside our vehicles. Let's be frank. The only thing the lock on your car is good for is keeping amateurs out of your car. If a thief wants in your car, he can break a window and get inside. I tell you this so you will get out of the habit of thinking you've "secured" your belongings by simply locking the doors. This is a good start but irrelevant if the thief can and will choose another entry point. You should always move your belongings to somewhere safer than your vehicle when you can.
2. If your car has cool gadgets and gizmos, hide it from public view when possible. I can always spot a car that will be broken into and the demographics of its owner. 16 to 24 year old males who drive "suped up" cars with racing stickers are great targets for thieves especially during the summer. Why? Because victims like leaving these cars in public view during the summer so everyone can see them. What's worse is these cars are often parked in public lots overnight with no natural observers which makes them a prime target for criminals. Park your car in a garage or in an area where it is well-lit and can be seen fully from the sidewalk. I don't suggest hiding it in the rear of the lot. That's the area thieves pick first because they feel either these cars are abandoned or the area provides a cover and concealment for their activities.  At home, try not to park your car on the street. Get it as close to your  as house possible and lit by a motion-sensitive light source.
3. Buy an alarm or security device for your car. These are helpful for a variety of reasons. However, you have to respond when it goes off. Letting the alarm go off and resetting it without visually verifying the nature of the alarm is a recipe for disaster. People realize car alarms are often very temperamental  The problem is so do thieves. If a thief has an interest in your car and its belongings, he may set it off to see what you do. If you don't go outside and just reset from inside, he/she will assume you thought it was a false alarm and treat the alarm as false (which you will). I suggest before buying a car alarm that you do some research. Start by "Googling" the exact title of the alarm system and words like "bypass", "hack", or "review" along with the alarm system's title.  You'll be surprised how many car alarms are advertised in being the "best in the market" yet are cracked by amateurs daily.
   
   
   
   
4. Roll up your windows. In the summer months, it is breathtaking how many cars are left with windows wide open. I know it's hot but I'd rather be hot and have a car than to be hot with no car walking to work. 
5. Fill up your tires. People laugh when I say this but I have a good reason. The broken windows theory in crime prevention says criminals pick buildings to burglarize and commit crimes near with broken windows because they communicate a lack of citizen vigilance in the area. The same can be said of cars that don't work. People leave vehicles in dilapidated conditions with flat tires and are surprised when their car is broken into. Filling your tires with air may communicate to a potential thief the car works when in fact it doesn't. At the very least, it says the car has an owner who still cares and is still in the area. That being said, try to locate the vehicle in a parking space that is well-lit and observable from the sidewalk or close to your home as possible.
6. If you have a truck, get a cover that secures with the tailgate.
7. Convertibles should be covered whenever parked. I always find it hilarious when someone parks a convertible with the top down and loads of shopping bags are in the back. Seriously. Put the bags in the trunk and cover the top.
8. If you have to leave things in your car overnight, use your trunk. Thieves can't steal what they can't see. Lock your stuff in the trunk. You'll thank me later.
9. Never leave your ID or sensitive information in your car overnight. This includes the REGISTRATION AND TITLE of the car. Nothing like having a car stolen only to have the thief sell it someone else with a title. Worse yet, get a loan on the title of your car as collateral. Ouch. Oh yeah. I forgot - TAKE YOUR KEYS WITH YOU!!  Loads of people forget to do this and get their cars and stuff stolen. Be careful where you leave those keys like in gym lockers where thieves love to search for credit cards and keys to cars they can break into while you work out.
10. Always remember to take your ticket stub when parking your vehicle in a garage. Also, try to use a garage that is manned. Most people forget to take their stubs with them. If a thief breaks into your car and takes it, he will have to go through a lot of red tape (hopefully) to get out of the garage. This is something he won't want to chance. If you leave the stub in the car, that obstacle is removed. You also want to keep your car in garages and lots that are manned for the length of your stay.

You might also consider buying a mini-van. They were listed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau as the Top 10 vehicle type stolen in only 5 states and D.C. while trucks were number 1 in 23 states. They may not be sexy but they rarely get stolen. Just saying.

 

Resources:

Here's an awesome report by the NICB on how to prevent car theft:

http://www.thesecuritydialogue.org/documents/layeredanti-theftdevicespublic.pdf

Here's a guide from the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing on Thefts of and From Cars From Streets and Driveways

http://www.popcenter.org/problems/residential_car_theft/print/

This video below is a great place for suggestions on keeping your truck secure:

The Top 7 Questions You Should Be Considering When Improving Home Security

The show above is a clear demonstration as to how security professionals should approach home security planning and risk analysis.

Many times I'm asked by various people how to properly secure their home. Initially, it can be very difficult sometimes to give advice as to how to provide adequate security for your residence. I feel in order for your home to be secure you must first realistically assess your risk tolerance, the nature of the threat and your vulnerabilities, and what you're willing to do to mitigate the threat. I do this by asking several questions:

1. What's security mean to you? Most people look bedazzled when I ask this. I firmly believe security is a mindset and not a result. If you live in a really nice neighborhood with no crime, you might feel secure with your door unlocked. However, in a bad neighborhood, that may not be ideal. So what makes you secure?
2. What can't you lose? Some people naturally reply "nothing". I have had some be very specific. This is an important question to ask because most people may not need to spend hundreds of dollars on elaborate security if the only thing they're afraid of losing is fairly replaceable if lost. That also depends on personal perspective. Losing my father's watch would be a terrible loss for me but not someone else. In sales, they call these first two questions "What's your pain?"
3. What's your terrain like? In other words, what's the nature of the environment you're securing? Is this a high crime area? Do people routinely talk to their neighbors? Are you visible during the day? Is your neighborhood well-patrolled by police? If not, why? Most people don't have a good answer for this last question, though, it may be the most important one. Does your property allow visitors inside without credentialing them? This question is especially important for those who live in housing developments with rental units. Are there ways your neighbors and others can naturally see your home unobstructed? You should see some recurring themes from previous articles.
4. What's the threat? In other words, who wants your stuff? How do they know your stuff or could know it? The threat identity question is the most important question you can ask yourself and anyone who asks for your advice. Figure out who is likely to attack the home and for what reasons (home invasions, stalker, burglars, etc.). You may have to get an accounting of the client or yourself (if it's your home). That means asking about prior domestic violence, violent crime in the area or the home, any overt threats made, attacks on homes nearby, shady people seen in the neighborhood. From there, use the third question about terrain to determine likelihood of an attack.
5. Just how vulnerable are you? Many people have two ways of assessing vulnerabilities and neither of them work - being overly optimistic or overly pessimistic. Homeowners think the way normal, law-abiding citizens do when they think of burglars. They assume burglars look for the same things they do. Often, they get these faulty ideas from television or vivid imaginations. Just because you might be able to climb a ledge and walk to your window two stories up with perfect agility doesn't mean a drug-addicted burglar will even care. So how does someone think like a criminal and find vulnerabilities? First, be realistic. Next, check for yourself. Crooks have experience so they already know what does and does not work. I'm not telling you to break a window but there's no harm trying to drive a wedge in a door or walking on the other side of your fence to see what a burglar would see. Walk around your neighborhood and ask yourself what house looks the easiest to hit. Then ask yourself why. Ask yourself what would the burglar do with your stuff. Will he pawn it? If so, then an inventory of all of your high risk items is necessary with serial numbers.
6. Next, what can you do to protect yourself? Most people's natural security reflex is to buy a safe and then an alarm. Good? Nope. Actually both are terrible in some cases though not all. I like safes and alarms. However, what good are both if you don't understand why they were made? An alarm cannot stop all burglars. Many bad guys will already plan for this and hit your house any way. Alarms are great for getting the cops there as soon as possible. Picking a reputable company to install and monitor it is absolutely key. Safes are designed to slow thieves down. No safe is impenetrable. Every safe has a weakness. Most consumer safes have the same vulnerability - you can transport them. You can pick them up and take them somewhere to be cracked later. So what should a homeowner with one do? Bolt it to the floor and buy a safe that doesn't have electrical locks. Trust me. Don't buy a big threatening dog either. Some dogs work but some don't. Don't gamble your property or your life hoping a canine will stop an attack. Guns are great against home invasions and other intruders. However, don't advertise them. Remember what I said about gun buy-back programs.
7. Finally, what are you willing to sacrifice to feel secure? The number one complaint about security always revolves around convenience. I don't care what you're protecting. Someone will complain about the inconvenience on their time, energy and money to have it. The toughest part of consulting anyone on home and personal protection is this part. People can't wrap their heads around giving up something to protect against a threat they may never see. Remind them (and yourself) threats don't engage us on our calendars. They may not come now or anytime soon. However, it is better to be prepared and be able to live your life securely and worry-free than to not prepare and lose things you hold most dear.

These questions are tough but necessary before you can advise anyone on how to properly secure their homes. I recommend giving them (and yourself) a few days to think about the first two questions as these will surely be the hardest. As you're asking these questions, don't be afraid to ask if you missed something. Finally and most importantly, give the client a chance to contribute - it's their security after all. If it's your house, get your entire household involved. The more stake everyone has in this process the easier it is to have a comprehensive security plan.

Do you have any suggestions on what other questions homeowners should be asking? Feel free to leave a comment or a question below.

Top 12 Awesome Way To Beef Up Your Home Security

As a continuation of my home security article previously, I decided to publish a list of tips to upgrade your home security. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Here are my suggestions for beefing up your home security:

1. Get to know your neighbors. Seriously. I know they're annoying and their kids tear up your yard. But they're "natural observers". They'll take greater interests in you and who is at your home. They may also alert you to suspicious activity and call the authorities. There also great for mail pickups when you're not at home.

You laugh but your nosy neighbors could be the best security system you have.

2. Be seen throughout your neighborhood. A person who is active and occasionally walks outside is unpredictable. When terrorists were planning to hit military bases, they chose Ft Dix in New Jersey over Dover Air Force Base. Why? Because Air Force cops don't follow a patrol "pattern". They were literally seen everywhere.

3. If you get a home security system, understand what it's there for. It sounds an alarm and calls the police. The burglar is still inside and may have already planned on that contingency. Does that mean don't get one? No. Get one. Just understand it may not stop a burglar from hitting your home. When you shop for one, understand the technology behind it and understand false alarms do happen and your locality may penalize you for them.

4. Buy a new lock on any newly constructed home. Don't install the lock yourself. Call a reputable locksmith. Next ensure you have a good door. What does that mean? The door should solid if wood and metal if not. There should very little spacing between the lock, the door, and the wall. Ensure you put a good lock on a good door.

5. Don't buy dummy cameras. They're useless and most pros will recognize it as such. Buy a real camera instead if you want one.

Either buy a camera system that works and one you monitor daily or don't get one at all.

6. Fences are bad and good. They can be a useful barrier if they are locked and not easily scaled. That being said, they can prevent natural observers from doing what they do best - observing and being a visual deterrent.

Getting a fence that is too high can be just as bad 
if not worse as getting a fence that is too short.

7. Don't advertise that you have a gun. What that says to a burglar is "I'll wait until I know you're gone and look for your guns to steal". Remember resale is $200.

Signs like this DO NOT keep bad guys away. 

8. Don't buy "no trespassing signs". They never stop a burglar. Ever.

9. If you have a sliding door, get it replaced by actual swinging doors or get a very sturdy lock for them. Ensure the slide is properly mounted to the floor.

This is a VERY sturdy deadbolt lock.

10. Check your windows. How long has your lock been there? Is it crusted over by paint? Is it rusted? Is it flimsy or accessible easily from the outside? If so, it's time for a new lock and a new window.

This lock is keeping NO ONE away. Consider getting a new window if needed.

11. Take expensive product boxes to a recycling center. No ifs and or buts.

Look. Someone got something really nice recently.

12. Don't advertise you're going out of town except to those who NEED to know. By need I mean, it is critical to sustaining your livelihood (they need to pick up mail, approve vacation time for your job, babysit your kid, etc.). The post office can collect your mail if needed. Here's a link - https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/

Six Ways Burglars Get Away With Your Stuff

Recently, I was asked to compile a list of way burglars break into homes. The idea behind this list is twofold:

• Demonstrate common burglar/intruder methodology 
• Show the futility in modern home security risk analysis 

Here's what I wrote:

Burglars act as most attackers do. What does that mean? They approach your home the same way any operational threat (bad guy) would whether they are hackers or home invaders. The first thing they do is reconnaissance. This could be as simple as a drive-by or a pretext to get inside of the residence. Some burglars use social media to get an idea as to when you'll be away and/or get an idea as to what kind of loot you have. Not all do. Most common thieves attack venues they know are not secure. Many times it's an inside job (disgruntled employees, relatives, friends of the family, etc.).

This man robbed an East Village Apartment he had been showing
for a real estate company he  was working  for at the time

      

What are they looking for? It depends on their expertise. Most amateurs will stay away from places with an alarm system, if they don't know the code. Professionals are savvy enough to either bypass the alarm or know the code. Stickers and signs can be counter-productive. They advertise to a bad guy you have something worth protecting. They also look for natural observers (nosy neighbors, kids playing at all hours, your activity, your interaction with your neighbors, mailmen, police who regularly patrol the area, and street traffic). They look for flimsy window locks and screen doors. They look for what's accessible from their point of entry. They look for cameras (sometimes - depends on expertise). They look for mail delivery. They also look for large product boxes. These advertise "we just bought a lot of expensive stuff" to prospective thieves. They look for moving boxes. This signals you just moved in and probably won't have an alarm set just yet. They look for proximity to neighbors and relative noise.

They won't all approach your home like this guy.....

Once they have all their particulars in order, they prepare a kit. Some guys already have one for every job. It'll consist of a crowbar or other heavy wedge. They'll have screwdrivers and hammers. They may have lockpicks. They'll have large bags and will likely use a van or other large vehicle. A pro may use a minivan. No one ever suspects a minivan.  

Burglary tools found on an alleged burglar.
You'll notice there are several lockpicks and door wedges.

After they have their kit and transportation, they may decide on a crew. Some guys have one and some don't. They also fit the profile.

Next begins the approach. They'll check doors and see if the door is loose. If there is sufficient spacing, the door has movement. What does that mean? Remember that crowbar? Some guys will also have a master key. When homes are often constructed, the construction company buys standard locks for every house they build in a development. Many times those homes have a key or specialize tool they use to set the lock. This key/tool is like a master key and can open most locks in that development. It's the reason many lock companies have steered away from this. Homeowners should immediately change the locks in any new development. They may also kick the door in. If they do this, the job is really rushed and time is of the essence more so than if they go in quietly. They may look for windows if the doors are not able to be breached. They stick to first floors. Second floor windows can be tricky. You don't have the benefit of leverage and your visibility to those natural observers is greater. If the windows fail, they go for sliding doors. In places like Florida, this is easy. Most people don't engage the slide lock and rely on a bar to keep the door from being pried. If they have time, they can try to wedge the door off the slides. There's also breaking the glass. That's why they look for items that within reach if that becomes an issue.

Sliding doors are a popular point of entry for most burglars

Once inside, the job is easy. They go for ANYTHING. Inside jobs always hit the things you hide or are personal to you. Though nothing is safe. If its in a safe, great. However, if the safe can be easily picked up, they'll just take the safe. They'll look for guns. Guns are an easy $200 in a gun buyback program. They'll also grab the usual stuff - TV's, games, jewelry, etc. Any identity stuff is also HUGE. They'll move this stuff into the vehicle. From there, they'll depart the scene and try to sell your goods.