Here are some security tips for the perimeter of your home to help you avoid the situation featured below:

1. Maintain landscaping from a security point of view: Shrubbery shouldn't be high enough for a burglar to hide behind or too near windows or doors. Trees shouldn't be positioned so that a burglar can use them to climb into a window.
2. House numbers should be clearly visible from the street.
3. Allow all entrances to be seen clearly from the street or other public areas.
4. Lighting near garage and other parking areas should allow clear view of anyone present.
5. Ladders shouldn't be in the yard or in clear view.
6. Windows should be secured against being forced open but should allow for easy emergency escape.
7. Window air conditioners should be bolted down or otherwise protected from removal.
8. Check to ensure all doors and windows are secure before retiring for the evening. 
9. Install and use a monitored home security system installed by a professional security company.
10. See other tips here on how to protect your home from the outside in.

Please take the first step in protecting your home today by scheduling your Free Security Evaluation.

Additional information on how to choose a security company here.

Story by NBC 5

Special thanks to Bill Phillips for some of the security tips!

Here is a short video from CNN and Merlin Guilbeau from the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association.

Key points from the discussion:

• Don't wait until after you have been broken into before buying a home security system
• Look for a reputable, licensed alarm company
• Be sure to get written estimates
• Compare systems and price (ensure "apples" to "apples" comparison)
• Decide on owning verses leasing
• Ask if monitoring is included in the price 
• Can the system be monitored by a third party

Bottom line: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

See out previous post about choosing a Top Rated Security Company for more information.

Security systems are extremely important to deter burglars from choosing your house to break in to over another house without a security system. Security systems with surveillance cameras can also help authorities apprehend criminals and recover your belongings. 

However, a monitored security system is just one element of an overall security plan, albeit a large component, but one component nonetheless. 

Solid doors and door locks are another component to deter smash and grab crimes.  Solid dead bolt locks on your home or pushbutton locks and keycards for your business can discourage criminals if they can’t enter to begin with.   Also, if you purchased an existing home, it is a good idea to change all deadbolt locks throughout the home.You should have a professional lock and key shop replace old locks and inspect other vulnerable areas.

Additional items you should consider to complete your overall security plan for your home or business include:

• Safes
• Door Closers
• Desk Locks
• Mechanical/Electronic Pushbutton Locks
• Bump Key” Resistant Locks

FORT WORTH, Texas --

An intruder attacked a Fort Worth woman inside her garage after she had come home from dropping her children off at school, police said.

Visualize a birds-eye-view of your home. Mentally draw a circle around your home. This circle represents where your home security system starts. Here are 5 tips to prepare your home to help prevent a hostage situation like the story above:

1. Walk around the perimeter of your home. Trim bushes or remove / modify structures that provide a good hiding place for an potential attacker.
2. Do the sides or back of your home offer a place for an intruder to conceal himself from the street? Use motion activated lighting on all sides of your home.
3. Get a home security system from a reputable company, and place yard signs and window stickers around the perimeter of your home. This is your first line of defense from an intruder.
4. When purchasing a security system, request to have the overhead garage doors included. This helps protect you from forgetting to close your garage doors and in the case of the home intrusion above, could have notified the police earlier of the emergency.
5. Request to have a remote panic button. This will help you in and around your home should an emergency occur. In many cases the remote "key fob" will accommodate several functions including arming and disarming your system.

Denton is a little safer today thanks to the fine efforts of the Denton Police Department and Denton County Sheriffs department - Denton Record Chronicle article

Five Free Home Security Tips:

1. If you see signs that your home has been broken into - Do not enter! Go to a neighbor's house and call the police.
2. If you see the intruder(s), don't confront them. Panic can sometimes turn a burglary into a more dangerous crime.
3. If a stranger wants to use your phone don't let them inside. Take down the information and call for them.
4. Never tell a stranger you are home alone. Also don't mention this in public places like the checkout line etc.
5. Representatives from legitimate companies have ID cards. (See our verify a representative feature)

Farmers Branch Home Security 

WFAA Reports - Farmers Branch residents must trim grass or face a fine.

Farmers Branch's new ordinance about landscaping may have bigger implications that just a "well groomed" community. Unkempt lawns put targets on homes and businesses by telling the intruder nobody's home or in some extreme cases; nobody cares. (Not to mention the additional risk of fire caused by the tall dry grass around your building in the hot Texas summer.)

What are the first steps to protecting your home from invasion... Act like you care.

• Act like you care - Remove tools and other implements that could be used in the intrusion.
• Act like you care - Ensure that all of your doors and windows are locked.
• Act like you care - Keep you hedges and trees trimmed from your home to reduce hiding places and easy access to second stories.
• Act like you care - Have a professionally designed security system to protect person and property.

NTX Security offers a FREE Security Evaluation to help you protect your property starting from reducing the curb appeal your home has to interested intruders.

I am asked from time to time what happens when my monitored alarm is tripped (or goes off).

Each situation is different and each of our alarm monitoring centers may respond according to their updated guidleines.  

Your security panel is programmed for a variety of alarms. The type of alarm we receive determines our response.

BURGLAR ALARM 

1. We first call your home or business to rule out a false alarm.
2. If there is no answer or if we receive an incorrect passcode, we contact the police.
3. We then call your home or business again, unless we received an incorrect passcode.
4. If we are unable to reach you after contacting the police, or we received an incorrect passcode, we call the people you have authorized us to contact in the event of a burglar alarm.

HOLD-UP PANIC BUTTON

1. When you push the panic button, we contact the police immediately.
2. On a panic button alarm, we wait an hour after contacting the police to call your home or business, so that an intruder will not know that the police are on the way.

RESIDENTIAL FIRE ALARM

1. We first call your home to rule out a false alarm.
2. If there is no answer after 90 seconds, we contact the fire department.
3. We then call your home again.
4. If we are unable to reach you after contacting the fire department, we call the people you have authorized us to contact in the event of a fire alarm.

Please note - these are general guidelines, policies and procedures, and are subject to change without notice.

Thankfully the kids are ok.

A Fort Worth brother and sister survived a frightening ordeal at the hands of robbers this week when thieves broke in to their house while the siblings were home alone.

For the complete story > Fort Worth Home Invasion