Are you worried because there has been theft or vandalism in your neighborhood? Perhaps you are going out of town and you simply want to take the precaution of making sure that your home is safe while you're away. Whether you are home most days or whether you'll be out of town, here are some ideas that might help you to provide security to your home.

Create A Plan - Start with what you already have.

• If you don't already know your neighbors, think of getting to know them. Consider having a get-together where the people on your block can introduce themselves to each other.
• As you invite your neighbors to your home, let them know that part of the time spent together will be discussing ways that you can keep your neighborhood safe.
• Consider giving each other things like your phone numbers and the type of cars you drive. It's even helpful to tell each other the type of pets you all have. In case somebody finds a wandering dog or cat, they'll have a better idea of how to get it home.
• It might be a good idea to have a person take notes of suggestions that are made. After the get-together that person could type the notes up so that they could be distributed to all who attended and to those who were not able to be at your home for the meeting.

Take Extra Precautions - Make an assessment of things you can do to better protect your home.

• Do you have good lighting outside of your home? If not, consider installing it. Add timers that will turn the lights on and off at a designated time.
• Make sure that your windows and doors are properly locked at all times. Consider getting a keypad with a code that only you and other trusted individuals can access.
• One really good idea is to hire a security service that will come to your house to do an evaluation of what steps need to be taken to make it safer.
• The security service can also install equipment that will automatically alert the company if there is a break-in.

Think of little things you can do that could be life savers. For example, if you live alone, think of having a neighbor that you can call each evening to let him or her know you are safe. Give that person a number to call in case of emergency. You can also contact companies like Armstrong 24/7 for more information.