Crime Prevention Tips: Minimizing the Risks

Security tips for you and your family members:* Every time you buy or rent a howse or appartment, change the locks.* Try to contact your neighbours and establish a communication network in case of an emergency, collecting their phone numbers, local police numbers, and fire fighters.* Leave the emergency phone numbers near the phone on clear visible spot .* Never give away personal information by phone to someone you don't know or trust.* Always check for suspicious looking persons near the entrance of your howse. If you think they might be a potential threat, do not enter your howse. Just keep walking as if you were just passing by and contact the police.* If upon arrival you find that the door has been forced, do not enter. Call the police as soon as posible.* Use all the security measures, even if you will be absent for just a few minutes.* Hide valuable jewels and cash in an anchored safe, and preferably in a hidden spot.* Try to illuminate the whole house, especially outdoors. Avoid leaving dark corners that may allow criminals to hide.* Prune trees, bushes and plants periodically, keeping them to a height that impedes someone to hide.* Reduce the opening and closing time of hall doors. If you have automatic hall doors, always wait until they close completely before leaving or getting off the car.    * Place double lock, only giving keys to people you trust.* Remember to close the windows, especially those near terraces or balconies.* Never leave door notes telling about your absence, neither leave hidden keys.Tips For children* Teach them basic data of identity that might be useful on an emergency event (full name, home phone, address).* Advice them not to give away information to strangers and to never open the door.* Insist that they mustn't accept anything from a stranger: invitations, sweet neither gifts.* Inform them about the risks of hitchhiking.* Explain them how to proceed before an emergency arises.* Teach them the importance of never telling when their parents are not at home.* Teach them how to dial to emergency telephones, using a toy telephone.