Young Girl Protects California Home, Captures Thieves

All parents worry when they leave their teenagers home alone, but this time, a burglary story has a happy ending. A brave 12-year-old girl helped the police capture the burglars who broke into her family’s Sacramento home last Friday. She was in her home alone, when she heard the sound a burglar breaking in. She grabbed her phone, called 911 and hid in her closet while staying on the line with the dispatcher. The police showed up quickly, and were able to apprehend two teenagers as they tried to run away from the house. There is no word as to whether the home had a California home security system.

In order to protect your family from threats like this you need to protect it with as many home security measures as you can add. In this case, a home security system would have sounded a loud alarm and scared away the young burglars while also notifying police immediately.  There should have also been more secure door locks to protect the young girl who was home alone, along with the valuables in the home. This young girl should be commended on staying calm and calling 911 immediately. Her quick thinking saved her and the family from allowing this story to have a tragic ending. This young girl was probably quite scared, but she is safe and didn’t freeze during the scary break-in. These young burglars are at juvenile hall, and will be awaiting sentencing for their crime. Hopefully they will realize that crime is not worth the consequence, and they will change their direction in life.

If you are a parent, you can take away many lessons from this story. First, make sure your home has proper home security measures in place. Next, explain your children what to do during all types of emergencies. Finally, teach your children to work hard and avoid crime and gangs. It can be difficult to turn a life around or get jobs after you have a criminal record. Parenting is hard, but it is your responsibility to care for your children and be a positive role model for them. 

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Stolen Guns Means Increased Ohio Home Security

Ohio residents need to be extra vigilant in their home security measures, after more than 80 guns and firearms were stolen from The Powder Room, a Central Ohio shooting range this week. Thieves broke into the concrete building by breaking a hole in the wall in the wall of the women’s bathrooms. The savvy burglars disabled all security lights and avoided the surveillance cameras, so there is no recoded footage of them, and they were able to steal the guns without being seen. This is not the first time The Powder Room has been targeted by thieves, but it is the largest theft by far.

Unfortunately, 80 stolen guns on the streets mean that homes and police are less safe. Police officers are often shot with stolen guns, and criminals can use them for robberies and home invasions. Residents are encouraged to use their Ohio home security systems to protect their homes and loved ones. Everyone should keep doors locked at all times, and if they have information about this crime, they should report it immediately to police or crime stoppers. Even the ATF is getting involved, and offering a $5000 reward for information about the person or people who committed this crime.

To keep your home secure, keep all doors and windows locked at all times, and arm your home security system, when you are home and away, even if you are only stepping out of the house for a few minutes. Never open your door when you answer it, unless you have know the person or have verified their identity. You can never be too careful when it comes to protecting your loved ones. 

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Burglar Finds Doggy Door to Bypass Atlanta Home Security

A pet-loving homeowner learned that his Atlanta home security system was far from foolproof. Burlgar Michael King got down on his hands and knees and crawled through the doggy door to enter the home. He made himself at home, drinking a few beers and Red Bull, and stole an iPad, wallet, iPhone and other items the homeowner left on his kitchen counter. When the burglar was finished, he left the same way he came.

The quick thinking homeowner heard the burglar’s noise, and hid under his bed so he couldn’t be seen. He also grabbed the alarm pad and was able to trigger the motion detectors, setting off the alarm which notified the police and made the burglar leave the same way he came in. The homeowner was frightened but unharmed by the incident.

Dog doors can allow easy access for burglars to get into your home any time. Smart burglars know that you take your dogs out of the house a few times every day, providing burglars opportunities to enter homes without encountering dogs or people. This homeowner learned the hard way that homes with pets should have lockable dog doors to provide safety at night. Another option is a a pet door extender, which consists of two dog doors at right angles from each other – a configuration no adult could ever fit through. You should also always arm your wireless security alarm. In this case, having an alarm system helped the homeowner rescue himself.

This Atlanta homeowner did everything right, but he the dog door allowed the burglar to bypass his home security and safety measures. He plans to install a lockable pet door to close the security gap in his house. The best part of this story is that the homeowner had installed the Find My iPhone app on his cell phone, and he used it to help the police track down the burglar. He was caught and arrested, with the stolen property in his possession. 

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Veteran’s Habitat for Humanity Home Robbed before Move-In Date

Sometimes a burglary is more devastating than the burglar could have intended it to be.

Habitat for Humanity has started a “veteran’s Build” program, where veterans volunteer to build homes for other veterans with disabilities. Mike Smith, a paralyzed army veteran was chosen to move into the new Syracuse, NY home, which will offer full disabled access for him. He currently lives in a crumbling home where water pours through the roof when it rains. He was thrilled to be offered the new home, and will pay a small mortgage of $500 per month.

Last December, a burglar broke into the construction site, and stole about $100 worth of copper from the home, and did $10,000 worth of damage in the process. Because the home was being built by volunteers and was paid for by charitable donations, there is no money available to make the repairs so Smith and his girlfriend can move into the new home. An added benefit for Smith is that the new Syracuse home will eliminate his 3 hour drives to reach the hospital when needed.

This situation is a sad and real example of why a New York home security system is vitally important. There can be excessive damage caused by even a small burglary incident. You need to protect not only your valuables inside your home, but the house itself. Copper theft is increasing in this poor economy, and if a thief targets your home, you’ll wish you had better protection. Your TV can be replaced, but the time, money, and emotional anguish over being robbed can never be given back to you – it is gone forever.

If you’ve decided to get a home security system for your home, check out wireless security systems. They can protect apartments easily and be moved from location to location. Wireless security also offers more layers of backup, which means that burglars cannot disable the system with the quick snip of a phone line. Wireless systems also use internet, batteries, and cellular communication to make sure your home is always protected, even during a blackout or cable outage. No donors have stepped up to pay for the home repairs yet, although Habitat for Humanity promises that they will install a home security system in the house when he moves in. Smith intends to also get a big dog for an added layer of protection. Hopefully a donor will give enough to cover the repairs so Smith can move into this new home soon.

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Beware of Copper Thieves, Even If They Are Not Very Bright

Sometimes burglars don’t want to steal property inside your home, they want to steal parts of your home.

A Columbus, IN man was sentenced to 17 years in prison for stealing copper wire and tubing from a hardware store. Robert Owen Luetke was found guilty by a jury of the crime which took place in December, while he was out on parole. He has a long criminal history and this time, an additional 10 year sentence for being a habitual offender was added to the 7-year sentence for burglary and theft. In addition, Leutke must pay $450 restitution to the hardware store.

It is very common for thieves to steal copper wiring and tubing from houses, buildings, and other locations, for money. Currently, the scrap copper sells for an average of $3.50 per pound, and if a thief is good at it, they can steal a few hundred dollars worth from each home. Copper is used in homes for electrical wiring, gas and water pipes, as well as in air conditioners. Copper theft increases during the summer when everyone puts their window unit air conditioners in their windows, sometimes not very securely.

As the economy continues to stand still, copper theft is on the rise. Copper thieves cause an average of $1 Billion of damage in the US every year. The best way to protect your home from copper theft is to get a home security system and leave it armed every day and night. Vacant homes are especially attractive to copper thieves, and can cause thousands of dollars of damage ripping wires and pipes out of walls. If you have a vacant summer home or a house you are trying to sell, you should have a security system in place, and get a real estate agent or friend to check on the home frequently. It is the only way to protect your investment. Even though Luetke is behind bars, residents should invest in a Columbus home security system to keep your home safe.

There is a funny side to copper theft around the world. For some reason, many copper thieves are not very smart, and they get themselves into precarious situations, injured or killed, just for some copper. There are frequent news stories about self-electrocuted thieves who try to steal copper wire from the ground or telephone poles, not realizing that the wires are live. Sometimes thieves hit underground power stations and steal thousands of feet of copper wiring, leaving cities without power. A thief in Miami recently fell two stories off a school while trying to steal copper wire. The crime has gotten so bad, the city of Fresno has begun sealing all manhole covers to prevent thieves from getting access to wires underground.

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