Omega Six Security

Friday, January 27, 2017

Steps to Prevent Being a Victim

We all want to avoid being the victim of a robbery or, even worse, a home invasion. While no security company or expert would ever propose they can eliminate all threats; there are steps you can take to mitigate the risks of becoming a statistic. Today, we're going to look at steps you can take to "prevent the crime." These steps are designed to fit inside our framework of phases 1-4 of Phases of a Crime.

Steps to take

Always start from the outside and work your way in. Criminals rarely start their crime when already inside the home. This rarity is confined to your friends, kids, or the occasional hired contractor getting sticky fingers. A few suggestions:

Outside Looking in.

Don't give them the key. Ladders, fixed objects (air conditioners, lawn furniture, ornaments or other objects that could allow someone to gain access to second or third floor windows. Don't leave anything accessible to a would-be thief to make the job easier.

Locks and detached buildings. Look at all detached buildings to ensure they have locks, closed and latched windows, and are as secure as possible. Again, access to your valuables outside the home are an easy grab for criminals and could assist them in gaining access to your home. Think of your home as your castle and the exterior buildings as your resources. Your attention is on the castle, but you need to ensure any attackers can't use your own resources against you.

Where are your keys?? We've all been there... We're standing in front of our front door in our heavy winter coat, frozen to the bone, searching for that key that seems to have buried itself deep within your pocket. Then, out of nowhere, it dawns on you - you loaned it to your brother who's out of town!! Sound familiar? Well, this is my story. I was that person only 2 years ago. Here I am, a security guru, trying to break into my own house. On a good note, I was unsuccessful and even had a locksmith in front of my door for 3 hours trying to gain entry. I ended up having to sign a waiver to authorize him to cut into the door. Bad. That's when it dawned on me to hide a key somewhere no one else would look. Today, I have a key hidden a decent distance from my home. No, I'm not going to share where my key is, but suffice it to say even if someone does find it, they won't have any idea what it's for. Some suggestions I'd share are to look for a place where you can gain access 24/7, somewhere no one is going to look, and somewhere far enough from your home that a would-be assailant can't stumble across it by accident. I shared this with a close friend and he now has a key hidden behind a Walmart in one of those store bought false rocks. The Walmart is about a mile from his home. A good enough distance that no one would ever know it belongs to him, but close enough that he can get a little exercise if he happens to lose his key. Think remote and think secure. It's also a good idea to periodically check on the key. I check my spot about once a season - ever 3-4 months. A hidden key doesn't do any good if it vanishes. By utilizing these "dead drops," as they are called, you can prevent a would-be criminal from finding a key hidden on your property.

Windows. Windows are great. They provide natural light, a cool breeze on warm days, a way to watch the snow fall without freezing in the process, and countless other benefits. They also provide a great way to enter a home. Criminals know from experience that windows are a weakness in most homeowner’s security. They're left open at night throughout the hot summer months, they're often left unlocked (most of us have dealt with those stubborn window's that won't latch), and they're often easier to pick than front doors. It's an often-overlooked step to check that your windows are in good repair and functioning properly. It's also a good idea to use a supplemental locking mechanism. Such supplemental items are as simple as a wooden rod placed above the window so it can't be raised without removing the rod. Some even choose to paint a yellow stripe around the rod to let would be criminals know it's futile to try and pick the window. Should you choose to do so, ensure you place the same thing in all your windows - you don't want to let them know which window is easier.... For the best protection, you'll want to ensure ALL windows have sensors tied to an active and functioning security system. And be advised, not all criminals target first floor windows.

Illumination. Let's shed some light on the threat, pun intended. That should always be the motto. Identify and mitigate. Criminals, especially the more common ones, do anything in their power to avoid detection. Lights are among the best tools to make their day go bad, really quickly. You should have illumination on all sides of your home to cover at least 50, and preferable 150, feet around the home that is either always on or motion activated. If it's motion activated, you want to ensure it will be triggered at least 25 feet from the home. Most sensors today are immune to animals, but you'll want to verify that as well. There's nothing worse than a light that constantly goes on when a cat wanders through your yard. Eventually you'll become immune to responding and the light becomes more of a nuisance than a tool. There are also circumstances where high intensity floodlights aren’t possible . However, as a rule, you want to be able to see as far as possible from the home. The more illumination you have the less likely you are to becoming a victim.

Gaining Access

Doors. You're going to want to ensure your doors are hung properly within the frame. They need to be secure within the jamb and firmly up edged by the weather strip. Don't provide any space for a thief to work his way into your lock or gain access to the inner workings of the lock itself. I've seen far too many locks and doors in my day that are either weakly hung allow a criminal to shimmy the door out without even touching the lock, or a lock that isn't straight allowing someone to wedges screwdriver inside and break the lock right off. You want the door to be flush with the seal, the locks to be on straight and professionally installed. Your safety is riding on the door to do its job. It is recommended to install longer 3" screws in the strike plate as-well-as utilizing a "long-throw" deadbolt to secure your exterior doors. Allow only those you want to pass and encourage those you don't to move along.

Locks. We're going to be spending a great deal of time discussing the specifics of locks down the road, but for now let's just talk basics. Locks are intended to both serve as a deterrent and as a gatekeeper. They allow those who possess a key to pass. The trick is to ensure the lock is in good working order and to ensure only those who have a need for the key to have one. This gets tricky when you've given keys to neighbors, relatives, babysitters, and even complete strangers.... I remember travelling abroad a few years ago and stayed at a local bed and breakfast. Being the security type, I was floored when the host stated that the key they gave us worked all the locks in the entire building. I couldn't help myself from testing the key throughout our stay. Needless to say - it worked! There wasn't a lock in the building I couldn’t pass with my key! That meant our valuables weren't exactly secure being left in the room... The moral is, don't just give your key out to anyone. That key is as valuable as all your belongings and potentially your life. A few recommendations

1. Change your locks every 1-2 years. This can be as simple as having your locks rekeyed by a locksmith or getting a rekeying tool kit.

2. If you're using a numerical keypad it's no different. Don't pass along your passcode to anyone and change it every 1-2 years if not sooner. Key codes are too easy to change and should be done more frequently.

3. Don't match garage door codes, touch screen locks codes, and security codes.. They serve separate purposes and should be different codes.

Security System. Security systems are, in most instances, a next to last line of defense. Think about it, the siren is telling you someone has broken through your perimeter (lights), primary defenses (locks), and is currently inside your home. It's paramount that your system can do a few things.

Tell you where they've passed into your home. This means every point of entry needs to be covered (doors, windows, basement/cellar crawl spaces, etc). You must be able to identify where they've breached to avoid those areas

Tell you if they've somehow circumvented the access point sensors. There are determined criminals who have gained access in creative ways... Methods include cutting through exterior walls and drywall to gain access into walkout basements. Contractors leaving garage/basement doors unlocked to hide inside the home until the owner’s head to bed and even coming down larger chimneys... That's where motion sensors come into play. If someone is inside the home when the system is activated it won't detect a breach through an access point. You'll want to ensure you use your motion sensors as best as possible at night.

In upcoming posts, we'll discuss best practices for setting up a system and we have a team ready and able to assist should you have any questions. CLICK HERE!

Entryway

So, we've made it up to your primary point of entry. We're inside the home. Security doesn't stop at the threshold. Some would call me paranoid, and I can't contest the moniker. But, I take all steps to ensure the safety and security of my assets and loved ones. I'm going to go into some more subjective measures to help protect you and your family and recommend you give them consideration.

Imagine for a moment that you're a criminal. You know you'd get the best return on your risk by breaking into a home. But, you want to ensure the time is worthwhile and that you're mitigating the risks as-best-as possible. You drive through a few neighborhoods and start looking for a target that's less likely to be secure. You notice a few homes that leave their garage doors open fairly frequently. You notice none have any indicators they own a firearm (NRA stickers, boxes for shotgun shells, military or law enforcement sticker, or several other categorical indicators), no security stickers or signs, and shades are always wide open. You also notice a few homes seem to only have single or dual occupancy. You decide to approach the homes for a little more intelligence. You throw on a contractor's outfit, grab a clipboard with a few pieces of paper from a template you found online and start knocking. You tell the homeowners who answer that you're doing a safety and security assessment for the home builder that built the home 15 years ago (they can ensure you're not the original buyer or would know who the original builder was by tax records). You then proceed to ask to see the electrical panel and permission to walk the perimeter of the home to look for quality defects and to assess how the home is aging. Now, the would-be criminal has a reason to start looking around your home. You have two options. Decline (which is the right answer) or to accept. If you accept you're allowing the criminal to see anything and everything in, and around, your home. The things they could do and would be looking for could take the next 10 pages to type. Needless to say, we're going to assume, especially after reading this, that you'll decline. So, they've at least made it to your entryway. If they've made it this far they will be looking for a number of items.

Do you have any of the following easily accessible for a quick in-and-out job:

Keys (quick auto theft)
Garage Door openers (steal it and come back a few weeks later....)
Purse & Valuables (A place you empty your pockets onto when you get home)

Things they could be looking at to assess what else could be in the home:

Pictures. How many people are in the home? Do you have teenage boys who likely have gaming consoles and electronics?
Security System Panel & Sensor type. Is the system a generic big box brand they could be familiar with bypassing or otherwise deactivating
Shoes. Again, looking for occupancy, athleticism (possible physical threat), sizes (bigger shoes mean bigger people), occupancy (fancy clean shoes often indicate professions and can confirm based on size of home and other indicators such as vehicle type).
Electronics. Do you leave your cell phone at your entryway? Could they steal it or destroy upon entry?

This isn't intended to scare or deter you from taking action. On the contrary, this is intended to help you better understand how the threat thinks. How they perceive the world and how they operate. Taking steps to counter these efforts is all it takes. If you, as a homeowner, simply decline to allow the would-be criminal inside your home, limit the available information and resources at the entryway, they will simply move along. Security starts and ends with you - the homeowner. Make today a Security Focused Day!

For more information, sign up to receive our newsletters or visit us online at www.omegasixsecurity.com. Need a security system? Are you curious how we can help? We're available 24/7 at 888-866-9954 or at support@omegasixsecurity.com.

The information contained herein is intended as informational and the opinion of Omega Six Security. We take great measure to ensure we're providing the best available information possible. But, it is just that, information. Readers must acknowledge that you are the first and last defense in any situation that could arise. Proper education, research, training, and maintaining good situational awareness will always help. We, at Omega Six Security, want to do all we can to assist in educating our members and readers alike. However, we always, recommend you reach out to local law enforcement, legal representatives and other subject matter experts to better understand your rights and responsibilities based on your individual circumstances. The information herein is for informational purposes only and does not constitute any form of counsel, legal or otherwise. Readers acknowledge and hold harmless Omega Six Security, LLC and the author and accept sole responsibility for any actions taken based on implementation of any information herein.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Phases of a Crime 3/3

We're in the home stretch! Our final piece on Phases of a crime outline the final 4 phases.

Step 4. Planning and Surveillance. For many criminals, this is where the real legwork begins. It's also what separates the good one from the ones already behind bars. During this phase, dependent upon their level of sophistication, criminals employ several planning and surveillance techniques. These range from using Google Maps & Street View (yes, we're not the only ones who use technology to our advantage) to walking and knocking on doors to see if anyone is home at specific times. They may even pose as someone to try and gain access to get a look around (a new neighbor introducing themselves, a delivery driver, stranded motorist, or something even more creative). They will often look carefully at specific items inside and outside of your home. Items such as: Types of valuables, your level of caution when answering the door, family photos (they could be looking for how many people live at your home, types of locks on your doors, do you have a weapon visible, does it look like you're home a lot during the day, and even if you have open windows or open access (do you leave your windows open during the day in the summer?). These items are all based on their experience, intentions, and/or level of risk they're willing to assume. See Steps to Preventing a Crime to identify ways you can minimize your risk of being a victim. This phase often takes a while and when they think/feel they're able to successfully execute the crime they'll move to the next step.

Step 5. Execution (breaching). This phase is when the threat to you and your loved ones is imminent. The criminals have decided your home is one they're targeting. They're now looking to make entry. More than likely, they've already decided how they plan to get in. They may have identified that your basement window is always unlocked, your front door doesn't have a deadbolt and can be easily passed with a credit card, and a ladder is leaning against your neighbor's garage (They can now use this ladder to get in through your bathroom window). Either way, this phase is when they are attempting to make entry to perpetrate the crime. It's critical at this phase that all defense mechanisms are both operational and in place. Having a deadbolt doesn't do any good if it's not in place when the crime is under way. This phase is all about time. The longer it takes a criminal to make entry, the more likely they are to move to their next (or another) target. You want it to be as difficult as possible to make entry so they decide your home isn't worth the time and risk. At this point, if you know there's someone attempting to make entry, you need to immediately call 911, move to a safe and secure location as far away from the threat as possible and do what you can to protect yourself and your family. These are tough decisions to make and even tougher conversations to have with your loved ones, but they're vital. You won't have time when the situation presents itself to have conversations and conduct planning. The plan needs to be formulated and ready should this type of an event occur. If you have questions or need some ideas on where to start feel free to reach out. You can email us anytime.

Step 6. Execution (act or commission of the crime). This phase is when the individual or individuals are inside your home. At this point, if you are home, the safety of you and your family is of first and foremost importance. It's crucial you conceal yourself as-best-as possible and contact law enforcement. Unless otherwise told to do so by a law enforcement officials, we do not, under any circumstances, advise trying to interdict. In many cases, the criminal has accepted that they are committing a crime and are willing to pay the price. The risks to the safety of yourself and your family far outweighs the benefits of any possible altercation. The best, and safest, course of action is to shelter in place and take up a defensive posture and await law enforcement's arrival. As we discussed in Step 5, it's best to find a safe location as far away from the assailant(s) as possible, ensure you're in touch with Law Enforcement, and follow their instructions. If you're unable to make contact with Law Enforcement remember that it's best to be in a location where you're going to be able to see the assailant before they can see you, in a location less likely to be searched by the assailants (a childs bedroom closet isn't likely to have jewelry or any high value items robbers are looking to steal). Again, it's best to work with Law Enforcement and plan ahead. It's also important to note that, if you have camera's inside your home, these can make great tools to identify where, within your home, the assailants are located to ensure you avoid those areas. None of us ever plan on our home being invaded, but if we plan ahead we can be prepared should that horrific day ever occur.

Step 7. Escape and Evasion. The final phase of any incident is the assailant's escape and evasion. It's highly likely assailants will have planned their escape prior to executing their incursion. Few like to be seen leaving a home with any big objects. They may stage a vehicle in the driveway of a neighbors home, in a parking lot behind the home if the home is next to a public location, or they could have a van ready to pull in right before they leave. Again, home surveillance is the best tool you can provide to law enforcement in identifying and capturing the assailants. See How to Set Up a Surveillance System for Your Home to identify best ways to ensure you’re ready to assist law enforcement after a crime has occurred.

For more information, sign up to receive our newsletters or visit us online at www.omegasixsecurity.com. Need a security system? Are you curious how we can help? We're available 24/7 at 888-866-9954 or at support@omegasixsecurity.com.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

6 Steps to Safer Home

We've now spent a little time outlining phases of a crime and what to consider when securing your home. Now, we want to look at making your home safer in general. Safe and secure is more than a catchy tagline and it spans far beyond cameras, a security system and good door locks. Here are 6 steps we recommend to get you off to a great start:

1. Fire/Smoke alarms: Every home should have smoke / fire alarms. It's recommended every home have one for each room. The majority of state and local municipal codes require a smoke detector (and carbon monoxide) within 6 feet of a bedroom anymore, check with your local Building Commissioner or Fire Marshal for your area's requirements. Most have battery notifications systems that notify you when the batteries start to get low. However, it's a good practice to check each manually every 3-6 months. Try and schedule it around spring cleaning and late fall when you start winterizing. While you're at it, it's good to come up with a good fire evacuation plan. We recommend exercising it with the kids so they know what to do should the need arise.

2. Lighting: We've discussed this numerous times, but lighting is your friend. It helps deter would-be criminals, prevents accidents when you're outdoors at night, but also serves as a safety precaution when pulling in the driveway at night. While we're on the topic though, we also advise looking inside the home as well. Many homeowners battle poor lighting in entryways, staircases and hallways. If a bulb dies, replace it as soon as possible. Otherwise you could be traversing your stairs without any lights and replacing both bulbs simultaneously in the dark. Ensure you have and maintain good lighting.

3. Home Security

Locks: Locks are both your best friend and a thief's worst enemy. Best practices are to have, maintain, and use locks. If you're home, lock you doors. When night comes, close and lock all windows. We can't emphasize maintaining and using exterior locks on your home enough.
Security systems: Security systems are among the most effective method to both deter and prevent a break-in. They're designed to both frighten a would-be criminal while simultaneously notifying the proper authorities.
Cameras: Security cameras help augment the security system by allowing you to monitor your home both while inside and away. They are an effective tool when used properly to both deter criminals, allow you to monitor your home and ensure the safety of your loved ones.

4. Choking/ Poison Hazards: One of the biggest fear for any mother or father is your child getting into the wrong bottle. It's essential for all of us to occasionally review where we're placing cleaning supplies, medications, and anything ingestible. Children have a tendency to put anything in their mouths. Take a few moments to check your lower shelves and cabinets for items that need to be secured.

5. Cooking hazards: The kitchen is among the most dangerous rooms in the house. Take a moment to check your fire extinguisher, heating surfaces, stove tops for excess grease, even the electrical cables behind the stove. Most fires start in the kitchen and many for unexpected reasons. Take an extra moment to ensure you're not storing towels above the stove, or leaving flammables too close to any ignition source.

6. Walking Hazards: Check your home periodically for tripping or walking hazards both indoors and out. We often leave items right where we used them last and that includes items such as power cables, boxes, and other items at floor level. Items such as shoes tend to congregate near stairs which can quickly become a tripping hazard at night. Take a moment to check your common walking paths and ensure they're clear and unobstructed.

This is far from a complete list of steps to make your home safe and secure, but we hope it helps get you thinking of ways to help you and your loved ones live safer and more secure.

Phases of a crime 2/3

In our last discussion, we looked briefly at the conventional phases of a crime. For our next discussion we're going to examine a more comprehensive tool. These were garnered from the Department of Defense's (DOD) Guide to Terrorism in the 21st Century. The Guide to terrorism, accessible here; the guide identifies 7 steps, which we will be adapting to meet our focus on protecting yourself and your home. Over the next few posts we're going to be discussing each step, how it impacts home security, and ultimately what we can do to help protect our homes and loved one. For this discussion we'll be covering a brief overview and first 3 steps of our 7 step model.

Overview

The 7 steps are:

Our Phases of a Criminal Act
1. Establishment of Intent
2. Recon and Broad Target Selection
3. Specific Target Selection
4. Planning and Surveillance
5. Execution (break-in)
6. Execution (Commission of the crime)
7. Escape and Evasion

So, this all sounds great, but what does it mean to a homeowner? Let's break it down into more manageable bites.

Step 1. Establishment of Intent. This step is nearly identical to those we discussed in part one of our discussion on "Phases of a Crime." As a homeowner, there's only so much you can do to eliminate the intent. You can't change the potential criminal's need for money, drugs, or property. You can, however, work with your local community law enforcement entities to help increase community-level policing; you can work with neighbors and your city, town, or community to establish a neighborhood watch program (We'll be discussing them in more depth as well), and you can increase your vigilance in reporting unusual activity in and around your community. Word will travel fast that you're a secure neighborhood, which in turn could make criminals question their intentions in that specific area. You can help keep other families safe and prevent criminals from ruining their lives just by working to increase your community’s security posture.

Step 2. Reconnaissance and Broad Target Selection. It's at this phase that a would-be criminal starts to look at where they intend to target. If we assume they're looking for goods, jewelry and/or cash, they have a wide set of options. They'll be looking at convenience stores, bank, gas station, liquor store, small retail outlets or a home. The unique thing about a home is the potential to gain everything they're looking for: cash, goods, jewelry, and even vehicles.... Homes also have a reduced risk of high-tech security and preparedness for a criminal act. In lay terms, this means homes are a great target of opportunity. Most stores today have entire teams dedicated toward loss prevention and advanced-camera systems to detect and counter theft. Even with advancements in technology and reduction in costs, most homeowners still do not have home security systems. In some of our upcoming posts we'll discuss a number of ways to help your community minimize the risk of being a target of opportunity. You can also reach out to Omega Six Security about free community events in your neighborhood. Shoot us an email and a representative would be happy to assist.

Step 3. Specific Target Selection. At this phase, our would-be criminals are starting to narrow their scope to identify exactly what home, store, gas station or other location they intend to target. We'll assume they don't want to take the risk of going after a store, due to security. They're looking at homes. With that decision finalized, they're now looking for neighborhoods and specific homes (maybe a couple to have a fall back should something go wrong). They're going to be looking hard at specific neighborhoods and, dependent upon their aversion to risk, experience, and intentions; they could narrow it down to a few homes within a specific neighborhood. Criminal acts range from targeting 1-2 homes, to organized groups that target 6-7 homes in one string of break-ins. Think 1990's classic holiday movie Home Alone. It's at this phase where we want to ensure our home looks and gives off the impression of safety. We want to make the home as formidable as possible. To read about some of the steps we recommend see Steps to Securing Your Home.

We’ll discuss the final 4 phases in another post, and examine a few things homeowners can do to prevent becoming a target, along with suggestions for steps to take if they've become a victim.

Friday, January 13, 2017

What To Consider When Considering Home Security

So, you’re like so many others, you know you want the peace of mind that comes with a home security system, but you're overwhelmed at the mere thought of reviewing the options, costs, fees - not to mention a pushy salesman trying to make an extra buck. Today, amongst the thousands of companies, options, and methods available a few big box brands stand out. A few more prominent than others, but they have one thing in common. They invest millions in marketing and expensive advertising to ensure you know their name. So, what should we do when we’re looking at investing in the security of ourselves and our families?

Here’s a quick summary of the core areas to consider and a few items to keep in mind:

1. What are you looking to do? Most homeowners take a more reactive approach to home security. They call one of the big box brands, ask for a sales rep to come out, and let the sales rep go to work... Or, they go to another big box do-it-yourself company and purchase a cheap pseudo-security system from an electronics manufacturer and hope it works. It’s backwards. The best approach is to do a little research and find a company you can truly partner with (the smaller guys are going to take a great deal more time helping you understand the crime in your area, what’s most likely to occur in your neighborhood and help you choose the system that will meet your needs). With that being said, here are a few of the areas to know and understand before you even pick up the phone:

Today, most home-security companies can offer you everything from equipment with a loud siren to make a lot of noise; a ”self-monitor” solution for your home in the event of a break-in, fire, or medical emergency; to having 24/7 monitoring by a professional team of trained personnel. Some companies are even getting into home automation. Such features could include remote access (from a computer or smart phone) to arm/disarm or check the system status, live and/or recorded video, electronic hardware that can lock/unlock your doors, adjustable thermostats, lights, and even programmable scenarios that can activate your lights when you unlock your doors or adjust the thermostat when you arm the system, and countless other options. The first big step is to understand what you and your loved ones want from your provider and your system.

2. Equipment. In today’s day and age, most providers are going wireless, but not all. Wireless seems to be more and more prominent with the advancements in technology. There are positive and negative attributes to wireless, but for the common homeowner they work well. It both reduces the installation burden of running wires and allows for smaller, more customer-centric, firms to provide a do-it-yourself solution that’s both affordable and easy to install. This brings us to the third big decision:

3. Installation. With the advancements in technology, many providers are becoming more and more capable of allowing users to install their own systems. While not for everyone, this isn’t inherently a bad option. The challenge is finding a provider that uses high-caliber equipment and provides the resources and knowledge to ensure the homeowners aren’t sacrificing quality for price/ease of use. There are a few businesses preying on homeowners looking for a “fast and easy” security system. While it sounds enticing when it comes to security, it’s probably a good idea not to take the drive-thru solution. If you wouldn’t head to McDonald's for a steak dinner, you may not want to trust the marketing teams of these new do-it-yourself cheap security systems. If the provider markets a “we make it ourselves to save you money” that translates into “we found someone who will buy a cheap gadget, and we’re going to call it a security system.” If you’re open to a do-it-yourself installation, look for a company who offers DIY with tried and true equipment.

4. Partnering and Intelligence. We all know that in today’s age there’s data on everything. Want to know where to find the cheapest gas? Looking for the best Thai restaurant? Want to find who has milk on sale? There’s an app, website, or both ready to provide the answer. We’re entering that age for home security as well. A few companies are starting to venture down the path of helping homeowners better understand the threats in their area, crime statistics locally, etc. They are partnering with homeowners to help keep them and their loved ones safe, not just providing a product. With the prevalence of open-data sources, this is coming at low to no-additional cost. We, as consumers, simply need to decide if understanding the threats and taking an intelligence-driven approach to home security would help provide another level of security and peace of mind.