According to FBI data, over 1.5 million burglaries were reported across the United States in 2015. Hopefully, yours wasn’t among the households burgled that year, but your chances of experiencing a break-in might depend on where you live. For instance, life in Springville, Utah is relatively burglary-free. The state capital, Salt Lake City—only 40 minutes away? Not so much.

Below, we’ve assembled a list of the most burglary-prone cities in each state per capita, along with a list of the top ten most-burgled cities per capita in the United States. To rank each city, we looked at the FBI’s 2015 statistics—the most recent year data was available—and divided the number of burglaries by city population, then multiplied by 10,000 to get the per capita burglary rate.

Top 10 Most Burglarized Cities in America (per 10,000 people)

Bastrop, LA – 429.8 burglaries per 10,000 people  

Population 10,773

Burglaries 463

Blytheville, AR – 347.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 14,717

Burglaries 511

Lumberton, NC – 341.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 21,746

Burglaries 742

Laurinburg, NC – 285 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 15,507

Burglaries 442

Hammond, LA – 275.8 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 20,449

Burglaries 564

Anniston, AL – 269.4 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 22,306

Burglaries 601

College Park, GA – 235.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 14,751

Burglaries 347

New Castle, PA – 233.5 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 11,305

Burglaries 264

El Dorado, AR – 220.5 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 18,229

Burglaries 402

Danville, IL – 219.9 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 32,056

Burglaries 705

Each State’s Most Burglarized City per 10,000 people

Anniston, Alabama – 269.4 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 22,306

Burglaries 601

Anchorage, Alaska – 55.9 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 301,239

Burglaries 1,685

Apache Junction, Arizona – 91.4 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 38,519

352 Burglaries

Bytheville, Arkansas – 347.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 14,717

Burglaries 511

California City, California – 204.3 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 13,218

Burglaries 270

Pueblo, Colorado – 189.3 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 108,810

Burglaries 2,060

Hartford, Connecticut – 76.9 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 124,553

Burglaries 958

Wilmington, Delaware – 96.7 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 72,078

Burglaries 690

District of Columbia, Washington D.C. – 44.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 672,228

Burglaries 2,971

Opa Locka, Florida – 159.83 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 16,768

Burglaries 268

College Park, Georgia – 235.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 14,751

Burglaries 347

Honolulu, Hawaii – 42.9 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 999,307

Burglaries 4,284

Lewiston, Idaho – 90.4 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 32,621

Burglaries 295

Danville, Illinois – 219.9 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 32,056

Burglaries 705

South Bend, Indiana – 141.25 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 101,240

Burglaries 1,430

Keokuk, Iowa – 121.8 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 10,670

Burglaries 130

McPherson, Kansas – 127.3 burglaries per 10,000 people 

Population 13,202

Burglaries 168

Campbellsville, Kentucky – 109 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 11,380

Burglaries 124

Bastrop, Louisiana – 429.8 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 10,773

Burglaries 463

Augusta, Maine – 76.3 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 18,608

Burglaries 142

Cumberland, Maryland – 139.3 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 20,095

Burglaries 280

Pittsfield, Massachusetts – 95.3 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 43,450

Burglaries 414

Inkster, Michigan – 165.1 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 24,657

Burglaries 407

Minneapolis, Minnesota – 86 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 413,479

Burglaries 3,555

Meridian, Mississippi – 199.4 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 39,966

Burglaries 797

Branson, Missouri – 192.8 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 11,517

Burglaries 222

Kalispell, Montana – 72 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 21,932

Burglaries 158

North Platte, Nebraska – 55.7 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 24,231

Burglaries 135

Elko, Nevada – 120.1 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 20,817

Burglaries 250

Manchester, New Hampshire – 60.5 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 110,661

Burglaries 699

Bridgeton, New Jersey – 139.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 25,363

Burglaries 353

Artesia, New Mexico – 203.8 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 11,970

Burglaries 244

Niagra Falls, New York – 125.5 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 48,989

Burglaries 615

Lumberton, North Carolina – 341.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 21,746

Burglaries 742

Minot, North Dakota – 78.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 49,842

Burglaries 390

Youngstown, Ohio – 177.1 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 64,608

Burglaries 1,144

Tulsa, Oklahoma – 137.3 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 401,520

Burglaries 5,512

Grants Pass, Oregon – 80.5 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 35,411

Burglaries 285

New Castle, Pennsylvania – 233.5 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 11,305

Burglaries 264

Woonsocket, Rhode Island – 76.6 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 41,261

Burglaries 316

Florence, South Carolina – 164.7 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 38,183

Burglaries 629

Sioux Falls, South Dakota – 63.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 172,313

Burglaries 1,089

Dyersburg, Tennessee – 158.7 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 16,766

Burglaries 266

Port Arthur, Texas – 145.5 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 54,557

Burglaries 794

Salt Lake City, Utah – 106 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 191,992

Burglaries 2,036

Burlington, Vermont – 54.1 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 42,160

Burglaries 228

Portsmouth, Virginia –124.2 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 95,877

Burglaries 1,191

Aberdeen, Washington – 159.6 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 16,100

Burglaries 257

Beckley, West Virginia – 186.1 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 17,137

Burglaries 319

Racine, Wisconsin – 99.4 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 77,887

Burglaries 774

Riverton, Wyoming – 63.6 burglaries per 10,000 people

Population 11,013

Burglaries 70

How To Protect Your Home From Burglars

While moving to a safer neighborhood can decrease your chances of burglary, you shouldn’t have to uproot your entire life just to protect yourself from crime. Take a look at the advice below to tip the scales in your favor when it comes to dodging crime.

Lock Your Doors

Most burglars sneak in through your front or back door. Deadbolts offer maximum security, but sturdy locks won’t help you if you don’t use them.

Stay Light and Bright

Thieves flourish in darkness. Keep your property well-lit inside and out with motion-detecting lights, lamp timers, and more.

Seem at Home When You’re Away

Have a neighbor mow your lawn and gather the mail when you’re on vacation. Never advertise your absence on social media.

Invest in Great Security

Alarm systems and motion sensors keep burglars off your property and give you greater peace of mind. Cameras can help police track criminals if they scurry away with your possessions.

Don’t Advertise Belongings

Got a new TV? Don’t leave the packaging on the curbside. Break down the boxes and store them inside until trash day.

While many parents understand the basics of Internet privacy, kids may not be as knowledgeable . How can you protect your kids from would-be identity thieves and other dangerous individuals, like cyberbullies and predatory adults? Keep reading to find out.

1. Help Kids Create Strong Passwords and Usernames

The first step in protecting your children’s identities is to teach them to create strong passwords that can’t be hacked. The strongest passwords have the following features:

• They contain a combination of symbols (like * or #), upper- and lower-case letters, and numbers.
• They don’t use easy-to-research information like a mother or grandmother’s maiden name or the name of a childhood pet.
• They’re more than 6 characters long.

Your child shouldn’t use the same password twice, or even variations on the same keyword. Since it’s hard to juggle so many passwords, you might recommend that your kids use a password tracker.

Having a strong password is only the first step, though. On social media platforms where kids don’t use their full names (for instance, on apps other than Facebook), kids need to construct safe usernames that don’t give away too much information about themselves.

For example, usernames shouldn’t include birthdates, birth years, or information commonly used in security questions, like your favorite TV show or the name of your first pet. Clever hackers and identity thieves can use the information they glean from usernames to break into accounts that contain personal information.

2. Beware of “Anonymous” Apps

Some apps are popular among teens because the apps promise complete anonymity. Kids (and parents) might think these apps are, at least in some ways, safer than apps that make your identity known—but as every web user learns eventually, there’s no such thing as complete anonymity online.

For instance, Yik Yak lets users post anonymous comments. Other users can then up- or down-vote the anonymous comments. The app is location-specific: it shows every anonymous message within a ten-mile radius of the user.

However, because the “anonymous” app operates based on location, all users know that other users live nearby. If your child gets too personal on the app—talking about specific teachers or classmates or posting about where they are at a given moment—they’ll be hard to track down, but not impossible. Anonymous apps can compromise safety in a different way by contributing to cyberbullying.

If your teen uses anonymous apps, make sure they understand that their information isn’t necessarily anonymous. Similarly, discuss what they should do if they encounter cyberbullying, including who they should talk to about it, how to respond, and how to safely intervene or react when someone else is being bullied.

Other anonymous apps to caution your teen about include:

• Whisper, which lets users send and receive anonymous messages
• fm, which lets users anonymously ask and respond to questions
• Omegle, which randomly pairs two anonymous users for a one-on-one chat

Talk to your kids about the dangers of interacting with strangers online and potentially making them privy to personal information. They should also know that nothing they say online is guaranteed to stay anonymous—they shouldn’t say anything online they aren’t comfortable having repeated to them later. You may also consider approving every app your teen downloads.

3. Don’t Post About Your Child

Many parents don’t think twice about sharing a  picture or a cute anecdote about  their child on Facebook or Instagram. And why would you be concerned when the responses you get to your picture or story are largely positive? Your friends and relatives probably adore the pictures, and you enjoy creating a digital log of your kid’s childhood.

However, the information you post about your children creates a digital footprint without their knowledge or consent. As an adult, you can approve the photos a friend has tagged you in on Facebook, or you can opt to un-tag yourself and keep the photo from appearing on your wall. In contrast, your kids can’t control the online image you create for them.

Plus, when you post about your kids, you could be giving away valuable information that predators can extort. For example, while the stories and pictures you post from your child’s birthday party delight your friends, they also tell identity thieves your child’s birthdate and age. Even more troublingly, pictures of your kids and teens can be posted to child pornography websites without your knowledge.

Does this information mean you can’t share anything about your kids on social media? Of course not. It simply means that when you do, you should go out of your way to protect your kids’ identities and information:

• Change your privacy settings on posts about (especially photos of) your young children so that only your friends can see them.
• Don’t share your child’s full name online—try using the first letter of their name or a nickname you only use online to protect them from identity thieves.
• Make your relatives and friends aware of the standards you’ve set for sharing information about your kids online. If a family friend posts a photo of your child, don’t hesitate to ask them to remove it.
• Once your children are old enough, talk to them about what you share online. What are they comfortable with you posting about them?

How have you talked to your child about protecting their information online? Do you have advice for fellow parents? Feel free to share in the comment section below!

When you can’t get your kids to stop texting at dinner, technology seems more foe than friend. But if you think new technology only widens the gap between you and your kids, think again—a variety of apps, some a few years old and some brand new, give parents excellent tools to build trust with their kids while also keeping them safe online.

If this idea sounds too good to be true, scroll through the apps below. Each one is a prime example of technology that protects kids while fostering healthy parent-child relationships. Whether you worry about your kids’ Google searches and social media connections or the potential for cyberbullying and sexts, there’s an app—or several—on this list for you.

Bark

Bark subscribes to the belief that the Internet is a helpful tool, but it also knows parents want to (and should) play an active role in teaching their children to stay safe online. To help you achieve this goal, Bark monitors your child’s social media accounts and texts, and then it sends you real-time alerts when it notices concerning content:

• Cyberbullying
• Sexting
• Signs of depression or suicidality
• Drug-related content

Bark also gives tips on how to address these issues with your kids. For instance, if Bark notices your child posting personal information (like birthdates or phone numbers) to public forums, it can give you specific advice on how to bring up the topic with your child, explain its importance, and modify the behavior.

Bark is available on iOS and Android. It costs $9 a month with no limit on features, technical support, or the number of kids you can add. Alternatively, sign up for a whole year to enjoy one free month.

Life360

Life360 protects your family by connecting every member. It operates on three basic principles:

• Connection. Add circles that include family members, close family friends, and/or caregivers, and keep locations and messages private.
• Communication. Use the group chat feature or send private messages instead of spending money on texts.
• Simplification. Make life easier by automating location check-ins and enjoy a streamlined, easy-to-use dashboard.

The app is free for both Android and iOS.

Life360 also produces two versions of the app that give families greater peace of mind: Life360 Plus and Life360 Driver Protect. With Life360 Plus, you get the same features as Life360, along with features like 30-day location histories, crime alerts, and the ability to add more locations where family members and friends can check in.

The Driver Protect app is perfect for parents of teens who just learned to drive. It analyzes family members’ driving habits and provides safety tips, detects accidents, contacts emergency services, and offers round-the-clock roadside assistance.

MamaBear

Do you want an all-in-one app that gives you the features you need not only to protect your children, but also to parent them in a complex world? MamaBear is your solution. This app offers an array of tools that let you ensure your kids are safe online, while they drive, and whenever they’re out of the house:

• Family news and location sharing connects everyone in your family quickly, easily, and securely.
• Speeding alerts tell you if your kids are driving over the speed limit you’ve set for them.
• Text and social media monitoring let you check your kids’ posts and messages.
• “Call mama,” “call for help,” and “come get me” buttons on your child’s phone make it easy for kids to contact you in an emergency.

With alerts that let you know when your child arrives at home and who he or she adds on Facebook, it’s no wonder the app has won numerous awards and recognitions from groups like TechCrunch and the Kauffman Institute.

MamaBear accounts are free and available on iTunes and Google Play.

Net Nanny

Net Nanny has been winning awards from software companies and receiving stellar reviews from parents for more than ten years. This comprehensive program gives you complete control over who can access what content on the Internet. Tailor the filters and settings for each member of the family to block content like profanity and pornography, and enable social media monitoring to check for sexual content and cyberbullying.

With features that let you manage your child’s settings and access usage reports from any web-enabled device, Net Nanny is incredibly easy to use. The dashboard shows which websites the program blocked each week, how often a website was blocked, and what type of content blocked sites contained.

Net Nanny doesn’t just keep your family safe online, though. It also teaches personal accountability and responsible time management by letting you block out certain times for Internet use. The newsletter and blog include great tips for parents on how to talk to kids about online safety.

PocketGuardian

PocketGuardian scrolls through texts, direct messages, social media posts, notes, and photos on your child’s apps and notifies you if it notices cyberbullying-related content, sexually explicit imagery, or sexts. The app doesn’t work by pinging certain keywords. Instead, it analyzes the context and language of a post to assess the issue.

PocketGuardian aims to foster a trusting relationship between you and your teens, so it doesn’t send you a screenshot of the message, photo, or text it flagged as problematic. Instead, it sends you a timestamp, a description of the type of activity it noticed, and the resources and information you need to have a productive conversation with your child.

The app comes with a few other helpful tools:

• Device location tracking
• Access to browser history
• Access to incoming and outgoing call history

Both the PocketGuardian Basic and PocketGuardian Plus plans come with a free 30-day trial and work for iOS and Android.

TeenSafe

TeenSafe was created by parents for parents who want their teens to feel safe and happy online, at school, and at home. It offers several useful ways to protect children from cyberbullying, sexting, and identity theft:

• See any deleted, received, and sent text messages
• See incoming and outgoing calls
• See your teen’s phone’s location and location history
• Scroll through your teen’s web history
• View all apps installed on your teen’s device
• Check out your teen’s contact lists

You can also choose from two apps depending on your needs: TeenSafe Monitor lets you view your teen’s texts and messages on your own phone, and TeenSafe Control lets you set restrictions on your teen’s phone use, including blocking apps and preventing texting while driving.

TeenSafe’s website also has helpful resources for parents, including blogs about how to make TeenSafe work for you and your children and a free guide on tech safety. TeenSafe recommends that you let your kids know you’ve downloaded the app and to have a long conversation about how you’ll use it.

Zoodles Kid Mode

Instead of handing off your tablet to your child and hoping they use the time wisely, invest in Zoodles. This app was made for parents who want to integrate technology into educating younger children without putting them in unsafe environments.

Based on the age and learning-level settings you choose, Zoodles controls which websites kids can access. Your kids can then watch videos, play educational games, and read interactive books—all of which are thoroughly vetted by Zoodles.

The app also tells parents how much time kids spend on each site and with different subjects so you can promote subjects like math, science, reading, and life skills. Zoodles is also perfectly affordable: enjoy the free version, or subscribe to the premium version for a monthly fee of $7.95 or annual cost at $59.95.

Do you have experiences with any of the above apps? What conversations have you and your teens had about Internet safety, and how has this helped your relationship? Feel free to share in the comments below—we’d love to learn from you!

In a perfect world, academics and career goals could be your top priority in choosing a university. However, safety—or the lack thereof—is fast becoming a determining factor for future students and their parents and guardians.

You’ve already seen articles ranking college safety nationwide, so in this article we decided to break that ranking down by state and show just how varied your safe-campus options are.

To determine the safest school in each state, we tallied the crimes reported by universities and divided them into three main sections:

• Violent crime
• Property crime
• Violence against women

We weighed the crimes by severity and divided the school’s crime score by enrollment to calculate total per-capita crime. All the universities listed here are either private or non-profit four-year colleges with over one thousand enrolled students.

Whether you’re the parent of a high schooler or you’re a student who prioritizes safety, have a look at our list below. And if you haven’t already, consider adding some of the safest colleges in the U.S. to your shortlist of possible universities!

(click map to expand)

Alabama

University of West Alabama (Livingston, AL)

The University of West Alabama started out as the Livingston Female Academy in 1835. Since then, it’s blossomed into a state university that enrolls around 5,000 students per semester. UWA sees low instances of violent crime, property crime, and violence against women. The campus police department also employs a strict visitor policy—infrequent visitors must see the campus station for a card permit, and frequent visitors must apply for a hang tag that explains their reason for visiting campus and lists their vehicle’s make and model plus proof of liability insurance.

Runners up:

• Faulkner University, Montgomery
• Samford University, Birmingham

Alaska

University of Alaska Anchorage (Anchorage, AK)

The largest university in Alaska is also the safest. Even with nearly 17,000 students on the Anchorage campus, per capita crime rates are notably low. The Silent Witness program lets students anonymously report suspicious activity. And students can contact the Call Team any time to jumpstart your car, unlock your vehicle, or request a walking safety escort.

Runners up:

• University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks
• University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau

Arizona

Arizona State University-Tempe (Tempe, AZ)

ASU was recently named the most innovative college in the United States, surpassing both Stanford and MIT. It’s also Arizona’s safest campus, with remarkably low crime rates and very few instances of violence against women. The ASU LiveSafe app helps students find Safety Escort Service drop-off and pick-up areas, report tips, and stay safe on campus.

Runners up:

• University of Arizona, Tucson
• Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff

Arkansas

John Brown University (Siloam Springs, AR)

This private interdenominational Christian college offers more than 40 areas of study and a vast net of safety resources. The Campus Safety Director invites students and their families to visit the safety office to ask questions or pick up safety resource materials. Campus Safety also provides emergency response and crime prevention presentations for students and faculty.

Runners up:

• University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock

California

California State University-Long Beach (Long Beach, CA)

CSU-Long Beach has some of the country’s lowest fees for full-time in-state students. It’s also the safest of all 23 California State campuses. CSU-Long Beach’s Night Escort Program is available Sunday through Thursday—as a student, you can contact them over any campus pay phone or via cell phone. If the Night Escort Program isn’t operating, students can call the campus police to request an escort.

Runners up:

• Biola University, La Mirada
• California State University-Sacramento, Sacramento

Colorado

University of Colorado Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs, CO)

More than 100 years ago, UCCS’s main hall was a sanatorium for rich patients. Now, it’s a gathering place for the campuses’ nearly 12,000 students. UCCS empowers students to keep themselves, each other, and their campus safe through resources like free self-defense classes, crime prevention and CPR courses, and drinking and driving seminars. Students can follow the UCCS Police Department and emergency management Twitter accounts for frequent updates.

Runners up:

• Western State Colorado University, Gunnison
• Colorado School of Mines, Golden

Connecticut

Goodwin College (East Hartford, CT)

Goodwin College is a career-focused college that prioritizes both student safety and community improvement. The eco-friendly campus includes a community garden that embodies and exemplifies the school’s safety practices: faculty, staff, students, and community members can work in the garden, but each participant needs an ID badge and a code to access the area. Security guards patrol daily to ensure the plants and the people who nurture them are safe.

Runners up:

• University of Connecticut-Stamford, Stamford
• Sacred Heart University, Fairfield

Delaware

Goldey-Beacom College (Wilmington, DE)

In 1886, Goldey-Beacom College opened with five enrolled students. Now with a 24-acre campus, the college hosts nearly 2,000 students and experiences little to no violent crime, property crime, or violence against women. Most of the school’s courses are held in one main building, which is protected with security cameras. As on the nation’s other most secure campuses, students at Goldey-Beacom College can contact the Student Affairs Office to request security escorts.

Runners up:

• University of Delaware, Newark
• Wesley College, Dover

District of Columbia

University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)

If you’re a Washington, D.C. resident, you may already be planning to attend this college—UDC graduates the most native residents of any D.C.-area school. But whether you’re coming from out of state or you’ve lived in the nation’s capital for years, UDC prioritizes your safety. Like ASU, UDC uses the free LiveSafe app to keep students in the loop about campus emergencies and let them access safety resources.

Runners up:

• College of William and Mary
• George Washington University

Florida

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (Bradenton, FL)

Of the three SCF campuses, the Bradenton campus is the safest. There are minimal instances of property crime on campus and no reported incidents of violent crime, including violence against women. Because of its location, SCF pays careful attention to issues like Zika. In response to the CDC’s warnings about the virus last year, the college committed to eliminate standing water quickly and use safe mosquito-control methods on campus.

Runners up:

• Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville
• Eastern Florida State College, Cocoa

Georgia

Augusta University (Augusta, GA)

Students enjoy Augusta’s gorgeous views of the Savannah River, its high-quality graduate school and medical college, and its superior safety ranking. AU’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response offers department trainings. The university’s recommended RAVE Guardian app lets you call the Augusta public safety department and receive safety tips and updates.

Runners up:

• Brenau University, Gainesville
• University of North Georgia, Dahlonega

Hawaii

Hawai’i Pacific University (Honolulu, HI)

HPU is a welcoming global institution that hosts students from over 65 countries. Thanks to the university’s high safety rating, you can enjoy the ocean breeze, spirit of aloha, and academic excellence without worrying about crime. HPU contracts with security guards and employs its own in-house team to monitor its Ocean Institute, Downtown and Hawaii Loa campuses, and apartments at Aloha Tower Marketplace.

Runners up:

• University of Hawaii Maui College, Kahului
• University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu

Idaho

Brigham Young University-Idaho (Rexburg, ID)

Even though it enrolls more students than any other Idaho college, BYU-Idaho has the lowest crime rates in the state. The Rexburg campus doesn’t experience much violent crime—instead, it has lovely views of Idaho’s Snake River Valley, hundreds of bachelor’s degrees from 33 different departments, and a 99% acceptance rate. The security and safety department offers helpful resources for staying safe on campus in a variety of situations.

Runners up:

• Idaho State University, Pocatello
• Boise State University, Boise

Illinois

Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago, IL)

Come to Northeastern for the low cost, Chicago location, and first-class programs. Northeastern Illinois University is the Midwest’s most ethnically diverse university. Its students also graduate with the least amount of debt in the region. Once you arrive, feel safe throughout your degree with N-Safe, NEIU’s rapid emergency notification system, and its thorough safety guides for everyone from cyclists to web users.

Runners up:

• Saint Xavier University, Chicago
• Dominican University, River Forest

Indiana

Indiana University-Kokomo (Kokomo, IN)

IU-Kokomo offers more than 800 scholarships per year and keeps class sizes low so students can enjoy more mentorship time from their teachers. The university’s commitment to students’ success extends to their safety: you’ll find emergency call boxes across the campus and a comprehensive Victim Assistance Program. IU-Kokomo’s Coffee with a Cop Program lets students and faculty members meet with police officers to discuss concerns, present ideas, and ask questions.

Runners up:

• Indiana University-Southeast, New Albany
• Purdue University-North Central Campus, Westville

Iowa

Morningside College (Sioux City, IA)

With a ratio of thirteen students per teacher, Morningside College offers a quality education that includes opportunities to study abroad in countries like Japan, Northern Ireland, and New Zealand. The 68-acre campus has very low numbers of violent crime, due in part to their 24-hour escort service and large Campus Safety and Security Office.

Runners up:

• Clarke University, Dubuque
• Iowa State University, Ames

Kansas

Benedictine College (Atchison, KS)

This small Catholic-affiliated college offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to explore the world from their international campuses in Dublin and Florence. If you stay on the Atchison campus, you’ll enjoy opportunities to get to know the community through pilgrimages and service projects. Since 85% of students live on campus, you can look forward to a secure, tight-knit student community. If you’re an on-campus worker with evening hours, the police department is happy to provide an escort service all night long, starting at dusk.

Runners up:

• Central Christian College of Kansas, McPherson
• Newman University, Wichita

Kentucky

University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, KY)

The 125-year-old University of the Cumberlands strives for faculty excellence: more than 80% of their faculty members teach with the highest-possible degree in their chosen field, and over half of the professors have taught for ten years or more. Security cameras monitor most of the buildings. After hours, security personnel check IDs before admitting students to residence halls.

Runners up:

• Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights
• University of Louisville, Louisville

Louisiana

Louisiana State University-Alexandria (Alexandria, LA)

LSUA is Louisiana’s only state-supported undergraduate institution, and it takes the trust the state has in it seriously by maintaining high safety standards. The gorgeous campus is notable for its stately, 100-year-old oak trees and its high safety ratings. The LSUA University Police aim to exceed the standards set by the state and hold themselves strictly to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics. You can review the department’s ethical commitment on the university’s website.

Runners up:

• McNeese State University, Lake Charles
• Nicholls State University, Thibodaux

Maine

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine (Standish, ME)

At this private coeducational university, you can choose from over 40 majors and 30 minors. Students here get the best of both the quiet life and the city—Standish only has around 10,000 residents, but Portland is a short drive away, and you can reach Boston in a few hours. Along with safety, the college is especially attentive to student health: the Public Safety Department oversees the student-run College Emergency Medical Service, which offers on-campus medical assistance as quickly as possible.

Runners up:

• University of Southern Maine, Portland
• University of New England, Biddeford

Maryland

Stevenson University (Stevenson, MD)

This relatively young college is committed to its students’ success: roughly 93% of graduates find employment or start graduate school within six months of graduation. The university’s experienced security staff is comprised of Maryland State Troopers and Baltimore County Police who serve when they’re off duty or retired. Students (and parents who want notifications about campus emergencies) can opt into the mobile alert program.

Runners up:

• University of Baltimore, Baltimore
• Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore

Massachusetts

Wentworth Institute of Technology (Boston, MA)

Boston has excellent universities, but the city itself has high crime rates. Fortunately, at WIT, you can enjoy the historic city while you safely pursue a degree in a subject like technology management, design, architecture, or engineering. WIT uses the RAVE Alert Emergency Notification System to keep students up to date. The average undergraduate class size is just 15 students, so getting to know and trust your peers and professors is easy.

Runners up:

• University of Massachusetts-Boston, Boston
• Suffolk University, Boston

Michigan

Baker College of Flint (Flint, MI)

Baker College of Flint both protects its students while they study and ensures they succeed after graduation. Career Services helps students find internships and work, and post-graduation, Lifetime Employment Services provides résumé and cover letter help. Security-wise, the campus stresses protecting students while respecting everyone’s innate dignity and human rights. Only the Campus Safety office can let students into classrooms outside typical meetings times. You can also get campus escorts, jump starts, and vehicle unlocking services from Campus Safety.

Runners up:

• Baker College of Muskegon, Muskegon
• Baker College of Jackson, Jackson

Minnesota

St. Catherine University (Saint Paul, MN)

St. Catherine University—also known at St. Kate’s—has a prestigious history dating back to 1905. To help the war effort, St. Kate’s expanded its nursing program in the 1940s. Now, it offers degrees in a variety of subjects and caters specifically to female undergraduates and nontraditional students. As you’d expect, violence against women on campus is extremely low. During fall and spring semesters, an intercampus bus channels students between the Saint Paul and Minneapolis campuses for free.

Runners up:

• Metropolitan State University, Saint Paul
• University of Minnesota-Crookston, Crookston

Mississippi

William Carey University (Hattiesburg, MS)

William Carey University is only a few hours away from larger cities like New Orleans, Mobile, and Jackson, but the 4,000 students who attend WCU also enjoy life in the smaller city of Hattiesburg. The campus commits to 24/7 security and quick responses to emergencies, including weather emergencies like tornadoes. The SaderWatch notification system keeps students prepared and safe.

Runners up:

• Belhaven University, Jackson
• Mississippi College, Clinton

Missouri

Columbia College (Columbia, MO)

In 2017, The Military Times named Columbia College the best college for veterans, and the college has always ranked high on lists of military-friendly schools. Whether you’re a veteran or a recent high school graduate, Columbia College keeps you safe on campus with 24-hour security patrols, thorough emergency procedures, and quick response plans. Even with nearly 15,000 students, per capita crime rates are minimal.

Runners up:

• Webster University, Saint Louis
• Ranken Technical College, Saint Louis

Montana

University of Great Falls (Great Falls, MT)

This Catholic university was founded over 75 years ago with the help of the Sisters of Charity of Providence, who traveled to Montana to serve the area in the 1850s. The campus is beautiful, and Glacier and Yellowstone national parks are nearby. If you live on campus, you can get in touch with the Community Living Staff 24/7 for emergencies. Staff members also patrol the residence halls to ensure everyone stays safe at night.

Runners up:

• Montana State University-Billings, Billings
• Rocky Mountain College, Billings

Nebraska

Bellevue University (Bellevue, NE)

Whether you attend Bellevue to earn your bachelor’s, master, or doctorate degree, you’ll join a campus with a 50-year history of community service and student success. Along with providing ample safety and crime prevention trainings, Bellevue University’s Center for Health and Safety offers a list of mental and physical health resources at city, state, and national levels.

Runners up:

• University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha
• Chadron State College, Chadron

Nevada

College of Southern Nevada (Las Vegas, NV)

Does it surprise you to learn that a campus with over 33,000 students in the heart of Las Vegas is the safest college in the state? The College of Southern Nevada does an amazing job of protecting its students from violence and property crime. Along with being the largest, safest college in the state, CSN is also the most ethnically diverse, and they offer more than 200 affordable certificates and degrees.

Runners up:

• University of Nevada-Reno, Reno
• Western Nevada College, Carson City

New Hampshire

Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH)

Like Columbia College, SNHU ranks high on lists of military-friendly schools. Students can find medical help and counseling services at the Wellness Center; the Office of Diversity Programs ensures minority students, teachers, and staff members feel safe and supported on campus. Campus Safety provides escorts and can send emergency alerts to both students and their parents or guardians.

Runners up:

• Plymouth State University, Plymouth
• Colby-Sawyer College, New London

New Jersey

New Jersey City University (Jersey City, NJ)

NJCU is committed to diversity: the university’s Fulbright Scholars travel the world, and NJCU proudly supports students from all backgrounds. Since nearly 97% of NJCU’s students commute, the university provides a shuttle service to and from parking lots for safety and convenience. Along with using the regular campus escort service, students can use the Knight Rider Safe Ride Service between 5 p.m. and midnight to travel to the nearby pharmacy, train station, and shopping center.

Runners up:

• Felician University, Lodi
• Farleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus

New Mexico

Eastern New Mexico University (Portales, NM)

ENMU’s application process is simple and free, and tuition is affordable. The campus hosts multiple museums, literature collections, and art galleries to complement its courses. ENMU PD employs both certified experienced police officers and student security officers, who primarily assist with parking and administration.

Runners up:

• New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas (NM)
• University of New Mexico-Main Campus, Albuquerque

New York

CUNY Brooklyn College (Brooklyn, NY)

Whether you want to attend the Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema or Murray Koppelman School of Business, CUNY will give you an excellent academic experience and an amazing cultural one in New York City. Even in such a large city, CUNY Brooklyn College keeps students safe with a good emergency notifications system and safety tips specific to New York City, like protecting yourself from theft on city subways.

Runners up:

• SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs
• Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City

North Carolina

Campbell University (Buies Creek, NC)

Of Campbell University’s 200+ faculty members, over 80% have achieved the highest possible level of education in their field. No matter which of Campbell’s 150 degrees you pursue, you’ll benefit from the campus’s participation in the Silent Witness program and the addition of a cycling police patrol that accesses areas cars can’t.

Runners up:

• Methodist University, Fayetteville
• East Carolina University, Greenville

North Dakota

Dickinson State University (Dickinson, ND)

With no instances of violent crime or crimes against women and only minimal property crime, Dickinson State University is North Dakota’s safest campus. The college wellness department promotes mental, physical, and emotional health for its 1,300 students, and bystander intervention training by Campus Security teaches students to take an active role in reducing harassment, assault, and bullying.

Runners up:

• Bismarck State College, Bismarck
• University of Mary, Bismarck

Ohio

Youngstown State University (Youngstown, OH)

YSU is a research university conveniently located between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The university is serious about ensuring students have the funding they need to excel: they give out more than $125 million per year in financial aid. All four on-campus residence halls have housing coordinators, student resident assistants, and 24-hour front desk assistants to ensure students are safe. PenguinAlert lets students register two cell phones and two email accounts for safety notifications.

Runners up:

• University of Akron Main Campus, Akron
• University of Northwestern Ohio, Lima

Oklahoma

Cameron University (Lawton, OK)

Cameron University has existed for nearly as long as the state of Oklahoma—since 1908. Once an agricultural college, it now offers many bachelor’s programs and several master’s degrees. The Public Safety department is available to assist you 24/7. Because of the university’s location, the office also gives crucial tornado-safety tips and has approved safe areas in every building on campus.

Runners up:

• Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma City
• Oral Roberts University, Tulsa

Oregon

Concordia University-Portland (Portland, OR)

As a small, Lutheran-affiliated school, Concordia University-Portland has the resources to help every student succeed. The campus is committed to diversity and has many multicultural partnerships and campus-hosted multicultural organizations and activities. The Office of University Innovation invites students and community members to develop their creativity, and the Department of Public Safety keeps crime to a minimum while students enjoy the gorgeous, lively Portland area.

Runners up:

• Oregon State University, Corvallis
• George Fox University, Newberg

Pennsylvania

Holy Family University (Philadelphia, PA)

HFU’s faculty members carry on the mission of the founding Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who started the school in the 1930s to train teachers and improve the surrounding community. Students are automatically enrolled in the university’s emergency notification system, and family members can request access as well. The shuttle system runs students around campus in the morning and early afternoon, as well as between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. so students with late-night classes get home safely.

Runners up:

• Misericordia University, Dallas
• Alvernia University, Reading

Rhode Island

Rhode Island College (Providence, RI)

RIC has a fantastic teacher/student ratio of 1:20, and its honors program reduces the already-small class size to an average of 15. The college offers undergraduate research opportunities, especially in departments like physics and nursing. RIC uses the Green Dot prevention program to help students see public safety as a community effort. The program empowers bystanders to recognize and intervene when sexual harassment and bullying occur on campus.

Runners up:

• Johnson & Wales University-Providence, Providence
• Bryant University, Smithfield

South Carolina

Lenoir-Rhyne University (Hickory, SC)

LRU has a $5 million endowment, small class sizes, a 125-year history. The Department of Security Services escorts students across campus on request; they also escort students to local pharmacies or medical departments any time of day or night. Security Services takes excellent care of the grounds and facilities—the campus is well-lit, bushes are trimmed, and students can report safety hazards to the department online.

Runners up:

• Charleston Southern University, Charleston
• Francis Marion University, Florence

South Dakota

Dakota State University (Madison, SD)

DSU specializes in computer technology, but it also offers degrees and certificates in security education, accounting, exercise science, and dozens of other subjects. As part of the Office of Safety & Security, the Department of Environmental Health & Safety ensures that students work and learn in a completely safe and healthy environment. The community resources page helps students figure out who to contact for help in different situations, both on a local and campus level

Runners up:

• University of South Dakota, Vermillion
• Northern State University, Aberdeen

Tennessee

Christian Brothers University (Memphis, TN)

CBU boasts the distinction of being Memphis’ first college. 96% of the university’s full-time undergraduate students qualify for and receive some type of financial assistance; on average, each student receives slightly over $15,000 in aid. The university has an active student life with over 40 student clubs. To protect students, the police department ensures the campus is thoroughly lit. They also use security cameras and regularly patrol the campus.

Runners up:

• Belmont University, Nashville
• East Tennessee State University, Johnson City

Texas

South Texas College (McAllen, TX)

STC aims to make your education as affordable as possible: most students graduate with zero debt, and more than 80% of the full-time students get financial assistance from the university. The college offers four bachelor’s degrees and over 100 one- and two-year career-oriented programs. The campus has an enhanced 911 system, which means that when a caller dials 911 from a campus or hallway phone, dispatch automatically and immediately receives the caller’s location.

Runners up:

• Wayland Baptist University, Plainview
• Midland College, Midland

Utah

Utah Valley University (Orem, UT)

Utah Valley University has grown from a small state college to the largest campus in Utah. Orem, Utah is small enough to feel cozy and near enough to Salt Lake City to give students ample international opportunities, including visits to the Sundance Film Festival and opportunities for world-class skiing. UVU is clear about its intent to create a safe learning environment for its students: many “safe zones” exist around campus. Offices like LGBT Student Services and the Equity in Education Training & Resource Center help students feel safe within the community.

Runners up:

• Weber State University, Ogden
• Dixie State University, Saint George

Vermont

Champlain College (Burlington, VT)

Around 95% of Champlain College’s 2016 graduating class found employment at least six month after graduating. First-year students don’t have to wait to get involved in their field of study: with the college’s “upside-down curriculum,” freshmen can take important classes in their majors right off the bat. Some of the study abroad opportunities include programs in China, Morocco, and New Zealand. The campus takes multiple measures to keep students safe, including a daily crime log that ensures students know what’s going on across campus.

Runners up:

• Norwich University, Northfield
• Johnson State College, Johnson

Virginia

Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA)

The world’s largest Christian university has over 80,000 students and confers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, associates, and specialist degrees from nearly 550 programs. The university also takes care of its own—95% of the study body is granted financial assistance. The LU police department’s safe ride program is available every hour of the day, every day of the year. The victim/witness information form makes it easier for students to report a crime.

Runners up:

• Regent University, Virginia Beach
• Virginia Union University, Richmond

Washington

Whitworth University (Spokane, WA)

First-year students at Whitworth University receive an average of $34,000 in financial aid, and the university’s student-loan default rate is just 1.8% as opposed to the nationwide average of 11.8%. Choose Whitworth for a safe atmosphere and a chance to join the Ethics Bowl team, present at conferences, and learn from world-class educators. The university keeps students safe with support from counselors and a City Cab after-hours transportation for students who need medical care.

Runners up:

• Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland
• Cascadia College, Bothell

West Virginia

West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Parkersburg

In 2015, tuition at West Virginia University at Parkersburg for West Virginia and Ohio residents was less than $3,000. To keep costs low, students only pay for their first 12 credit hours per semester; your tuition and fees won’t increase for each credit over 12. The university’s Social Justice Committee focuses on issues like discrimination, anti-bullying training, and safe-zone training. Students can report concerns to the Threat Assessment Team, which evaluates potential safety risks to the community.

Runners up:

• West Virginia University, Morgantown
• Bluefield State College, Bluefield

Wisconsin

Concordia University-Wisconsin (Mequon, WI)

Concordia University-Wisconsin is one of the USA’s ten Lutheran-affiliated Concordia Universities. Like CU-Portland in Oregon, CU-Wisconsin boasts the safest campus in the state. As you pursue one of the university’s undergraduate, graduate, or professional degrees, you can contact the Campus Safety Office 24/7/365 for escorts or other assistance.

Runners up:

• Viterbo University, La Crosse
• Edgewood College, Madison

Wyoming

University of Wyoming (Laramie, WY)

The University of Wyoming is the only public university in the state to offer four-year degrees. Over 14,000 students attend each year—including students from all 50 states and from 90 countries. The UWPD makes it easy for students to participate in campus safety by accepting anonymous tips over text. Risk Management and Safety also ensures the campus stays safe even in Wyoming’s harsh winter weather conditions.

The data in this article was collected by the US Department of Education as seen on https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/

You need a professional to help you with home repairs or renovation, but in most cases, hiring a professional means hiring a stranger. If the prospect frightens you, don’t worry—you can take steps to ensure the professional you invite inside is trustworthy. Follow these tips to keep your home and family safe.

Hire Honest Professionals

In general, most contractors are honest and trustworthy. You just have to do whatever you can ensure you’ve found the right person for the job. Take these steps:

• Check that your contractor has insurance. Insurance protects both you and your tradesperson if property damage occurs.
• Ask for references. Get in touch with recent customers and ask questions. How did their project turn out? Were they happy with the finished result? Did the contractor arrive on time and charge a reasonable price?
• Ensure the contractor has a local business address and landline. If the contractor only gives you a mobile telephone number, double check that it’s local, not long distance.
• Ask whether they belong to a trade association. While you can certainly find good tradespeople who don’tbelong to an association, those who do have verifiable credentials.
• Ask about guarantees and warranties. Most quality tradesmen offer warranties because they’re confident in their abilities and products. Plus, warranties can help you if you discover the contractor has made a mistake.
• Don’t pay the entire cost up front. A contractor might ask you to pay a deposit, but most reputable ones won’t ask for a huge chunk of the money in advance.
• Only agree to written contracts. Your contract should cover the project’s details, costs, and timeline. Go by the contract line by line before you sign.

Take Extra Precautions

Again, most contractors are honest, trustworthy workers. However, if you’re still anxious at the thought of someone else entering your home, you can take a few extra steps to feel safe:

• Don’t leave keys lying around. Be particularly careful with window and back door keys.
• Lock doors to private rooms. Unless your contractor needs access to them, lock your bedrooms and home offices.
• Tell your home insurance provider about your contractor work. If you don’t alert your insurance provider to the fact that you’re getting work done, they may not cover any losses or damage that occurs.
• Put away bank statements and bills. These documents make it easy for someone to steal your identity.
• Stay around the house while the contractor works. If at all possible, arrange for him or her to come over only when you’re home. If you can’t be at home during the contractor’s scheduled hours, ask a neighbor to periodically swing by and verify that everything is going well.

Communicate Clearly

Once you’ve chosen a reliable tradesperson, follow these tips to ensure the project goes smoothly and safely from start to finish:

• Set a schedule. Make sure you always know when contractors will start and finish their work each day.
• Talk about bathroom usage. If you’re not comfortable with a contractor using your bathroom, let them know upfront so they can make other arrangements.
• Set clear expectations. Talk about key issues before the project starts so that a problem doesn’t come up halfway through.

Do you have other security tips for hiring a contractor to work on your home? Share in the comments section below!

Most home security tips are obvious: lock and bolt your doors whenever you leave the house, close and lock your windows, and install a high-quality home security system. But intuitive actions aren’t the only ones you can take to protect your home. Try the clever tricks below to make your home more secure than ever before.

1. Add a Hidden Door

A few years ago, a YouTube user uploaded a video of her home that gave viewers a look at its secret entrance. The woman had added in a door that seamlessly blends in with the home’s siding. The handle is masked as the outdoor spigot that looks completely real but isn’t hooked up to the plumbing.

The door itself is made of sturdy, affordable fiberglass with a red cedar wood frame. Smartest of all, the door is automated so the homeowner can lock the deadbolt automatically from any room in the house.

2. Hide Your Key in Uncommon Spots

By now, most people—including burglars—know about hollow rocks and upturned pots that mask keys. Instead of hiding your key in an obvious location, like under the mat or beneath or plastic rock, try these more creative hiding spots:

• A birdhouse. Hook the key beneath the birdhouse or right inside of it. Of course, the birdhouse trick only works if the birdhouse looks like a natural part of your yard, so fill it with seed that attracts local birds.
• The doghouse. If your dog has an outdoor kennel, find a clever spot inside to store the key. Just make sure your dog won’t be able to dig up and play with—or snack on—the key.
• Beneath the outdoor air conditioning unit. If there are gaps between the air conditioner’s cement base and the unit itself, you might be able to tuck a key out of sight.

3. Leave Out Decoy Items

Most casual thieves only spend a few minutes inside a home. Unless they’ve spent time casing the property, they’ll usually break in when the owners are away, grab the most expensive items they see, and dash away.

Since thieves will snag the first items they come across, consider leaving out decoy items that thieves will snatch instead. For instance, if you have an old laptop you no longer use, consider setting it an obvious position on the kitchen island—thieves who don’t look particularly closely will nab the decoy computer instead of searching through your possessions for a better laptop.

Of course, this strategy only works if you put away your expensive items like laptops and jewelry before you leave the house.

Do you have other clever ideas for enhancing your home’s security? Share them in the comment section below!

In a perfect world, you could trust any salesperson who came to your doorstep. Unfortunately, not everyone who approaches you with a good bargain is exactly who they seem.

Every summer, homeowners fall victim to home security system scams and lose hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars to fake salespeople. In a worst-case scenario, a fake salesperson can use your information to either steal your identity or break into your home later to take expensive items.

Fortunately, it only takes following a few easy steps to avoid security scams. Follow these tips to stay safe:

1. Always Ask for ID

Before you let any technician or salesperson inside your home, ask to see their credentials. All real employees should be able to verify their identities and prove that the work for the company they claim to represent.

If a salesperson becomes angry when you ask for identification or insists that identification isn’t necessary, you probably have a scam artist on your hands, not a legitimate salesperson.

2. Get Several Written Quotes

A scam artist needs to make their sale as quickly as possible, so they’ll use whatever tactics they can to get you to purchase their equipment right away. They might give you a written quote if you insist, but because they need to leave quickly and with as much money as possible, they’ll probably give you one price and stick with it until you agree to the sale.

If you aren’t positive that your salesperson is a legitimate company representative, don’t make any purchases or sign any contracts. Instead, ask for a written quote. Then, take the time to compare the price the salesperson gives you with prices from similar companies. If the price was exorbitantly high, it probably didn’t come from a real security company employee.

3. Ask Your Friends for Advice

Before you settle on a security company, talk to your friends, family members, and neighbors about their preferred home security system. Ask them about who installed the equipment, whether or not it was installed on time, and how effectively it works. Then, call the recommended company and ask any additional questions.

Friend referrals aren’t always helpful (for instance, you and your friends may have very different security needs), but they’re more reliable than salespeople who come to your door and try to commit you to a same-day sale.

4. Be Wary of Anyone Who Insists You Need to Upgrade

If you display a security company’s sign on your property, you give yourself an edge over lazy burglars who only want to target easy-to-enter homes. However, canny con artists might see the sign and attempt to sell you “upgraded” security equipment from the same company.

Don’t trust anyone who claims to represent your current company unless the company already called. Chances are slim that your security company would send someone over to have you re-sign paperwork and pay a fee without talking to you about it first. And if your security system needed to be upgraded, your company would certainly explain why and give you different options before forcing you into a same-day purchase.

5. Check the Company’s Licenses

If the salesperson came from a company you don’t recognize, ask to see the company’s license and check it with the Better Business Bureau or the state Attorney General’s office. If the company doesn’t have the correct licensing or if their license is out of date, don’t make any purchases.

See our blog post on how to tell if your ADT installer is real or fake to learn more. Do you have any comments or suggestions? Post them below!

With the temperatures rising and summer fast approaching, you’re probably daydreaming of ways to stay cool. As you picture yourself lounging by the pool and eating popsicles, don’t forget about your four-legged friends. Pets need extra care and attention during the hot summer months. Follow these tips to protect your pets this summer:

1. Use Sunscreen

Pets can benefit from sunscreen just as much as humans can, especially pets with short hair or white or pink fur. Pay special attention to your pet’s nose and ears, since these areas burn easily. Human sunscreen is toxic to pets—instead of applying your own, ask your veterinarian to recommend a good pet sunscreen.

2. Limit Sun Exposure

If you feel too warm, your pet likely feels even warmer, especially your dog. Dogs release their body heat through the pads of their feet and through panting instead of through their skin, and bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, puppies, and elderly pets in particular tend to overheat quickly. During the hottest hours of the day (typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), limit your pet’s exposure to the heat. Plan play time for early morning or evening hours, and ensure your pet always has plenty of fresh water.

3. Avoid Toxins

After you spray weed killer or pesticides on your yard or garden, keep your pet indoors and off the grass for at least a few hours—or, better yet, switch over to safe, organic fertilizers. Some chemicals that keep your grass fresh harm your pet. Similarly, pay attention to any chemicals that pool in your driveway. For instance, if your car frequently overheats, your coolant (which is extremely poisonous to pets) might be leaking onto your driveway where your cat or dog can lap it up.

4. Watch for Pests

Mosquitoes, ticks, and other dangerous pests are out in full force during the summer months. Some ticks and mosquitoes transmit parasites and diseases that harm your pet and even transfer to human members of your family. Talk to your veterinarian about how to keep pests from harming your pet—safe, effective medications or vaccine prevent many common insect-transmitted diseases.

Follow these tips to ensure your furry friend stays safe this summer. Do you have other helpful tips for pet owners? Share your favorites below.

Your home is your sanctuary. As a place where you gather to relax with friends and family, it should be where you feel the safest. But did you know that your safe haven could also be a target for burglars? Just like your home, your backyard needs extra care to protect you and your family from a break in. Here, we’ve gathered four easy ways you can make your backyard safer:

Trim Bushes

Overgrown bushes and shrubs create ideal hiding places for thieves, since the greenery masks burglars who are waiting to see if the coast is clear. Trimming the bushes leaves less cover for a would-be thief.

Consider:

• Regularly trimming bushes to a height of 4 feet or less.
• Trimming large trees. Tall trees with branches near second-story windows serve as easy entry points.
• Maintaining your yard. You want your home to look lived in at all times, so regularly trim the grass, rake the leaves, weed the garden, and trim trees, bushes, and shrubs.

You may also consider planting a prickly hedge around your home or yard. Most thieves target homes with easy access points—a prickly bush or shrub might be the only incentive he or she needs to skip your home.

Secure Gates

If you have a gate that leads to the backyard, lock it at all times. If your gate isn’t currently equipped with a lock, invest in a padlock, and keep the gate closed and locked even when you’re at home or in the backyard.

Along these same lines, make sure your gate’s hinges are on the inside—inward-facing hinges are much harder to remove than outward-facing hinges.

Lock Windows and Doors

All windows, even windows on second floors, need to be locked. Your ground-floor windows in particular are easy entry points, so before you leave home or go to bed, check all the windows to ensure they’re locked.

During your walkthrough, you should also check your doors, especially glass sliding doors that access your deck or patio. Many homeowners overlook their patio doors, which makes sliding doors some of thieves’ favorite entry points.

Finally, make sure all your windows have blinds or drapes that block the view from the outside. Windows without drapes give thieves an easy way to peek inside and see what they can take from you.

Install Motion Sensor Lights

Most security experts recommend that you have adequate exterior lighting, especially in the backyard. In particular, outdoor sensor lights that detect motion turn on if someone enters your backyard. The sudden light can be enough to scare away a potential thief.

If you’re leaving on a vacation, set both your outdoor and indoor lights to a timer so your home looks lived in. Timed lights that go on and off in your backyard make it look like you’ve triggered the lights by walking around your home. A burglar is much less likely to enter if he or she thinks you’re in the house.

Look around your backyard. Are you overlooking any of these important security measures? Implement these steps to keep your home and family safe, and if you have additional backyard security tips, feel free to share them in the comments.

It can be unsettling when a stranger comes to your front door—especially if you’re home alone. That feeling isn’t unwarranted, as it’s common for intruders to knock on the front door or ring the doorbell to see if anyone’s home before attempting a break-in. Intruders also often pose as salespeople or maintenance professionals in an attempt to gain entry to your home.

So what are some measures you can take to stay safe when someone you don’t know comes to your front door? We’ve compiled a few tips on ways to handle the situation:

Take a peek.

Before you open the door, always check to see who’s there. Whether you have a peephole on your door or you choose to install security cameras, you should have some way to determine who’s at the door without opening it. Train yourself and everyone in your household—including your children—to see who’s at the door before opening it.

Call to someone in the house.

It may sound silly, but it’s not a bad idea to call out “I’ll get it!” or “Can someone get the door?” before answering. Even if you’re home alone, calling out to an “imaginary” friend before responding to the person at the door may make it seem like you’re not alone, which can intimidate potential intruders.

Don’t ignore them.

If you see a stranger at your door, it might be a knee-jerk reaction to pretend you didn’t hear them. However, if it’s a potential intruder, they could be knocking to see if it’s a good time to break in—while no one’s home. It’s better to address them or make some noise rather than to remain silent. Remember: the time of day doesn’t matter. In fact, the majority of break-ins occur midday.

Respond without opening.

Without opening the door, ask for strangers to identify themselves. Use an intercom or simply talk through the door. If they say they’re there for maintenance, survey, or sales purposes, ask for a phone number to call to confirm an appointment or their identity, and ask to see identification. If you don’t know who the person is or they make you uncomfortable, politely ask them to leave.

Keep information to yourself.

Never reveal anything too personal, and be aware of questions to watch out for. Someone contemplating a future break in might ask, “What hours do you usually work?” or “When will you be home tomorrow?” Don’t answer personal questions about you or any members of your household. If a stranger is particularly pushy or says they’re in trouble and in need of help, offer to call the police for them.

It’s wise to take precautions before opening your door to a stranger. Not everyone has ill intentions toward you and your family, but if someone is trying to gain access your home, it’s smart to know why. Next time there’s a face you don’t recognize at the door, follow our tips and stay safe!

HD-TVI is a format of HD Analog technology. HD-TVI delivers high-resolution megapixel surveillance video at a fraction of the price of IP, and is as simple to install and operate as traditional analog CCTV solutions.

Additionally, HD-TVI is capable of supporting longer cable runs than other HD Analog formats – up to 1600' on RG59 and 700' on CAT5, transmits video with ZERO latency, and offers significant compatibility advantages.

Learn about the benefits of HD-TVI technology in our Learning Center article »

Tags: The lastest news and security technology developments from RE:SURE

Here are some basic security measures that all commercial properties should consider to be the very minimum workplace security precautions they put in place this Christmas.

1. It goes without saying to always ensure that all of the doors and windows are locked before leaving or locking up the workplace, even so time and time again this has been the root cause of many a breached perimeter. Check them again in the morning to confirm they are all still securely locked and that nothing is missing. If a window/door is open that wasn’t the night before, it would be a good idea to check any security footage you might have for that time-frame.

Keep the exits and the entrances secure at all times of the day and night. Using a combination door is ideal for controlling who enters and exits the building. You can also issue key cards and keys or even an ID badge to make sure that only the regular staff are able to enter the building. If viable you can also have a reception staff that is set the task of tagging any visitors with a temporary ID badge and to sign in and out when they enter/exit the building, many buildings will simply use a paper format log sheet to keep tracks of comings and goings and that’s fine too.

2. Security is something that should be at the forefront of not just your mind but also your workers minds all times. Sufficient reminders/advertisements of protocol should be fitted in as many visible places as possible, as well as holding routine meetings when systems are updated or when there is an incident to identify the cause and prevent them happening again in the future.

3. Install an up-to-date security system that takes advantage of the most advanced crime prevention technology available today. A system with a built in alert directly to the police or a security response team is an ideal choice, this coupled with motion sensing closed circuit television is allowing many businesses to prevent crimes before they happen. Once movement is detected on your property an audio warning is played out loud, resulting in a very high success rate of scaring away any intruders. Here at RE:SURE we provide a very effective and reliable CCTV monitoring service that have prevented thousands of crimes from ever taking place.

4. Dark corners are breeding grounds for criminal activity, out of sight and out of mind does not apply when it comes to securing your business. Be sure that there is sufficient lighting in and around your place of work, leaving no blind spots for CCTV cameras. It makes it easier to be able to see who is at the door and help to discourage break-ins. A well lit property also provides extra safety to those who arrive early or who leave late. Motion activated lights are especially recommended as they startle intruders and often cause them to flee with a small secondary benefit of saving on energy costs due to their select usage.

5. If you don’t have a video system, get one installed. A closed circuit television system is a great way to keep track of who enters and exits the building. You can also use this in the hallways and in stairwells or wherever any valuable items or sensitive activity takes place. Take it a step further and upgrade your video system with motion detection technology, catching any movement on your property as it happens is a very effective form of crime prevention.

6. You should also ensure that any car parking area is kept under surveillance. Burglars are known to check all the doors in a car park and many companies suffer theft as parked vehicles are sitting ducks to any greedy ambitious hands. Consider CCTV camera’s or dummy camera’s as well as parking barriers, swinging gates and even posts. If you have perimeter security staff working for you then we recommend a member being stationed here

7. Remember that expensive technology is everywhere even what might seem like a very dull box with wires sticking out of it could be worth thousands of pounds. If possible record all the serial numbers of your equipment and tag the most expensive items, it can be very pricey if something is stolen or damaged. Be sure that you keep track of all personal documents and confidential files. For some high risk industries where staff anonymity is important, store names and addresses separately where possible and keep extra copies of important documents in safe places.

8. Sensitive information such as pass-codes for doors, windows, I.T systems etc. should only be permitted to specific employees and change it often for safety reasons; ex-employees should not be able to gain access to your property. Recommend your staff against recording them on pieces of paper which risk being lost and falling into the wrong hands.

This was just a a very basic list and there are many more ways to protect your property from the damages of criminal activity. If you would like to learn more about how to protect your livelihood, get in touch and a member of the RE:SURE team would be happy to advise you further.

Don’t ever leave anything to chance.

8 Simple security tips to protect your commercial property this winter. is a post from our security and CCTV monitoring blog.

Alibi NVRs are packed with great features, but our retail customers are especially happy with the Point of Sale integration that helps them reduce shrinkage caused by employee theft. By combining POS transaction data with video, there is an additional audit trail to help investigate fraudulent transactions and theft incidents. Key features include:

• Transactional data that appears as text overlay on high resolution video
• Easy and efficient keyword search that locates corresponding video and transactional evidence
• Universal TCP/IP POS driver compatible with most PC-based cash registers

Should you need to use the POS feature on your Alibi NVR, here’s a step-by-step instructional video that shows you how to integrate your PC-based register with an Alibi recorder. Although this demonstration will focus on a pcAmerica cash register, Alibi’s POS driver is universal. It was designed to be used with any PC-based register that’s capable of sending out ASCII strings over TCP connection to a port on your LAN.

Here are a few highlights from the video:

Recording

You can set the camera to record continuously, on motion or alarm events – it will still show POS data when it occurs.

To set up the POS system to match your specifications, you can go to POS configuration in the pcAmerica interface and select the options you need for connection type, character encoding, overlay mode, font size, overlay time, and more. Though the configurations shown here are for pcAmerica systems, you can follow the settings recommended by the user manual in your POS system.

Testing

You can test if your configuration works when you click the “Get Text” button at the bottom of the menu and enter some sales entries on your POS terminal. Messages should appear in the frames above, on your screen. Click “Stop Getting” to end the testing once it’s successfully configured.

Playback

To play back the recording of a specific POS event, right click on the live view display and click on “Menu.” From the menu window click the “Playback” icon.

From there, select “Event”.

At that point, you want to turn your focus to the upper right hand corner of the screen. Open the “Major Type” dropdown list and select “POS.” Select the camera overlaid with cross data, the start time and end time range for when the transaction occurred, and finally click “Search.”

A list of POS clips matching your search criteria will be displayed.

In addition…

You can perform a keyword search of POS data to find when the sale of a particular product occurred and play back the video.

The tutorial also shows how to export videos to flash media.

As you can see, the POS functions on the Alibi recorder are rather robust. When fully utilized, these functions can help reduce theft and ultimately protect your business’ bottom line.

Introducing the Ring Video Doorbell: How A Simple “Can I Help You?” Can Prevent Burglary

You may have an idea of what is considered safe and unsafe when it comes to protecting your home, but statistics may disprove some of your long-held beliefs about security. For example, contrary to popular belief, most burglaries do not happen in the middle of the night. In fact, 65% of burglaries occur between dawn and dusk, around 6am to 6pm.* Yes, in broad daylight.

Like most of us, who would likely choose the path of least resistance, burglars prefer to strike when they think a house is unoccupied. 34% break-ins occur through the front door, which is more than any other point of entry around the house (e.g., 23% first floor windows, 22% back door, 9% garage, etc.).

They ring the doorbell and knock on the door, and when there’s no answer, they make their move. This is also known as a “knock-knock burglary” to law enforcement officials.

But I can’t be home all the time!

Let’s face it, trying to stay home 24/7 just to prevent break-ins is as realistic as living inside a bubble. You can’t be home at all times, but thanks to security innovations like the Ring™ Video Doorbell, burglars don’t have to know whether you are there or not there. When someone presses the button on your Ring video doorbell, it notifies you via the Ring app on your iOS or Android mobile device (phone or tablet) – whether you’re upstairs or out of state.

You can then view an HD live-stream video of the person(s) at your door, and even interact with them through the two-way audio. This gives the impression that you’re home, or at the very least, it gives them pause. When someone is looking for the easiest way out – or in, as this case may be – they’re likely to be deterred by uncertainties. It’s the uncertainty that diminishes their confidence in breaking in, and that’s what makes Ring such an effective home surveillance solution.

When a resident of Rancho Palo Verdes answered her video doorbell with, “Can I help you?” the person at the door immediately said, “Oh, I have the wrong address” and fled to her car, which raised suspicions. Turns out, several neighbors reported getting a knock on their door that same day, and one house was broken into when no one was home.

And what if they don’t ring the doorbell?

That’s when the built-in motion sensor on the Ring Video Doorbell comes in handy. Motion up to 30 feet will trigger a notification on your Ring app, at which point you can choose whether or not to interact with the person. If it’s simply a package delivery, you can provide explicit instructions for where to place the item when you’re not home.

Or if there’s mail theft, you may even catch them in the act, as this resident of the Waldo neighborhood in Kansas City, MO, did when the motion detector alerted her at work. The wide-angle camera caught an unknown man taking her Amazon package with him as he ran off.

With Ring’s optional Video Cloud Recording feature, you can share the video of suspicious activities with local law enforcement or your neighbors to catch the culprit and prevent further home invasions.

As described by Jayson Siller from the LAPD, “The Ring doorbell acts as a deterrent for such thefts in that a suspect doesn’t want to approach a house where he will be caught on video. If a theft does still occur, then the cloud storage gives officers the tools to apprehend the suspect and retrieve the victim’s property.”

The video doorbell is easy to install on any surface with Ring’s proprietary mounting hardware, and should the doorbell ever get stolen, the unit will be replaced for free by Ring’s Lifetime Purchase Protection. Once installed, download the Ring app and follow the simple instructions to connect the doorbell to your home Wi-Fi network, protected by bank-grade encryption for further peace of mind, and that’s it – your home is now fortified.

A smart home is a safe home

With more and more people considering smart solutions that help increase their efforts in conservation, accessibility, and security, the Ring Video Doorbell is a logical addition to the smart home. After all, if you can install a timer to turn your lights on or off in your house to make it seem like you’re home to prevent burglary, why not take it a step further and foil a potential intrusion with a simple “Can I help you?” at the door?

Learn more about our line of Ring Video Doorbell products

Or Shop Ring Now

* FBI, Crime in the United States, 2012

Tags: The lastest news and security technology developments from RE:SURE

The most important aspect of any video management application is, of course, speedy and easy access; this will allow anyone involved in the security or management of a business or company to not have to worry about being out of reach or unable to see what their video security system is tracking. By having immediate access to any and all cameras in a moment, the most important locations such as the reception or front door, the main room and offices can be covered personally at all hours, no matter where you happen to be. With an effective video security system, personal safety is greatly increased, leading to happier and more productive work days.

Two of the essential areas that many, if not all, companies in the business of manufacturing security cameras focus on are, firstly, the Video Management System (VMS) itself, which records video feeds, manages the network of security cameras and is at the very centre of a successful video security system. Secondly, they focus on perfecting their mobile applications, which will allow you to instantly access any video feed you want to reach across any place covered by the system as well as being more precise in terms of time-frames, giving audio if available and capturing motion-tracking in the video recordings.

If you are using a device powered by Android or a device running Apple’s iOS, the option is there to monitor remotely a live feed from any NVR or DVR camera. You can even monitor directly from the IP. The quality of the feed depends on the speed of the upload connection wherever you are using your device; slower connections will result in reduced resolution and frame rate but if you were to manually reduce the resolution or frame rate to something more manageable, satisfactory results can still be achieved.

There are a few ways to maximise the benefits you can get from being able to configure your camera from any location, with one of the most useful ones being using cameras that can Pan, Tilt and Zoom (PTZ). With cameras such as these, you can choose one to focus on and zoom in up to 30x and control its movements; this is a definite advantage over using static or fixed cameras.

Overall, mobile devices such as phone, laptops and tablets are an essential part of having a powerful domestic or commercial video security system. Applications on these devices are very useful in monitoring the most important areas of your domestic or commercial property due to the freedom they allow you; you don’t have to sit staring at a computer screen 24 hours a day when you can simply check your device whenever you want.

Mobile & remote access to CCTV monitoring systems (smart phones = smart security). is a post from our security and CCTV monitoring blog.

Tags: The lastest news and security technology developments from RE:SURE

What makes things really easy for our marketing department is that we don’t have to hope potential clients believe in “too good to be true” claims of our effective security measures; we have real world audiovisual proof that our technology saves you a fortune on costly criminal activities so many homes and businesses fall victim to.

The video below show cases how RE:SURE protects your premises when you are not there, stopping crime from happening in the first place. We use smart cameras to detect intruders the moment they step foot onto your property.

This means we give you all the services of a security guard for a fraction of the price; check out the video below to see a few examples of how well our smart cameras detect intruders.

Check out the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tygBn9NLoJk

RE:SURE Advanced Video Analytics in action is a post from our security and CCTV monitoring blog.

Home automation systems provide homeowners with the convenience of accessing, monitoring, and changing the settings of home devices remotely, from a mobile app or Web portal.

Your home automation system enables you to control your heating and cooling systems, lighting, door locks, security cameras, alarm systems and other devices. However, it can also make it easy for hackers to gain access to your devices and information—unless you employ the proper security measures.

Continue Reading »

School security is top-of-mind for school administrators nationwide, and today’s schools face many challenges when it comes to school security and student safety.

Taking a layered approach to school security by combining video surveillance with access control and emergency preparedness is essential for enhancing school safety at preschools, K-12, and college and universities—of every size.

Continue Reading »

Protecting your home, loved ones, and your property begins with choosing the best security cameras and video security system that enables you to keep watch 24/7.

How do you choose the best security cameras for your home? In this blog post, we highlight the various types of security cameras, along with the features and benefits most advantageous to effective home security.

Continue Reading »

Know how to maintain and get your video security system ready for winter with a few simple maintenance tips. You’ll learn which key areas of your video security system to inspect to ensure proper performance—during the cold winter season, and beyond.

Continue Reading »

The holidays can make your home a vulnerable target for break-ins, burglary, and theft. Learn how you can protect your home and loved ones with these 10 tips to prevent holiday theft.

Continue Reading »

Moving can be a very stressful time, but it doesn’t have to be. Performing the proper research and preparation ahead of time (before the big move), can help make your move less stressful.

We’ve compiled a few tips below to help you have a smooth, safe, and secure move:

Continue Reading »

Are you looking to find the best security camera for monitoring and protecting your business? Choosing the right camera form factor and capabilities best-suited for your application will ensure you get an effective video security solution that produces optimal results.

Continue Reading »

It came out in the trial that Mr Dwyer had planned to set up a fake viewing with a young auctioneer in South Dublin. Horrendously he had planned to rape and kill the person in question. Thankfully, it never came to pass. But it could have.

Even in Ireland, showing complete strangers around empty and sometimes secluded properties on a daily basis, does pose an element of risk that most people reguarly take for granted. Estate agents need to start evaluating what kind of levels of risk that they are exposing themselves to. Albeit way back in the eighties, the terribly sad case of Suzy Lamplugh is a prime historical example of why estate agents are at a high risk factor in their work line. Suzy went to show a property in the south of England, and never returned.

Some of the basic questions that should be asked as part of having a thorough lone worker policy are: Do your colleagues know where you are going? Do they know who you are showing the property to? Do they know what time you will be back? Will they remember if you don’t return on time. How well do you know the potential buyer? Have you conducted a vet on them? More often than not, these answers will be negative…

There are a number of precautions that should always be taken in order to minimise the risk exposure. For example, let someone know where you are going and what time you expect to be back. Ideally, have a list available of all the people that you are planning to show around the property.

However, we all know that with the seemingly relentless pace of life these days, it is hard to remember to do all these things and to have a third party to remember to check if everything is okay with you if you do not arrive back on schedule. In short, people are getting on with their lives and no one is perfect.

Here is a recent article from Evoke.ie that demonstrates how RE:SURE GO could form a thorough part of your company’s lone working policy.

http://www.evoke.ie/news/lone-worker-fears-after-graham-dwyer-estate-agent-plot/

Re-evaluating your risk profile. is a post from our security and CCTV monitoring blog.

RE:SURE Home in action is a post from our security and CCTV monitoring blog.

According to Emmet Hogan of RE:SURE; “RE:SURE Home uses smart cameras to provide a new level of protection that prevents break-ins from happening by intervening directly, with a live audio challenge, the moment an intruder steps foot on your property. Importantly, this avoids the emotional and financial cost that’s the collateral damage from intrusion into your home space.

“Standard alarm technology has two fundamental flaws. Firstly, it only alarms once the person is inside or on their way into your home. Secondly, burglars are more fearless and calculating these days and know that they have a window of opportunity before any response is likely.

“It comes down to a simple choice really. Do you want a typical home alarm that tells you that you’re being burgled when you can do nothing about it and your prized valuables and sentimental items are being stolen OR one that prevents the theft happening in the first place?

How it Works – 24 hour monitoring

Unlike the typical alarm where there’s window contacts, internal sensors, panic button ( and sometimes even invasive cameras that monitor and record your movements within your own house) RE:SURE Home takes the job of protecting your house outside, using what’s been described as an Intelligent Protection System (IPS). This effectively acts as a monitored virtual perimeter around the grounds of your home.

RE:SURE uses the latest generation of detection technology in the form of discreetly placed Smart Cameras that provide a 360 degree view of the outside of the house, detecting any activity on your home’s grounds. Whatever the smart cameras can see the RE:SURE Home can detect.

If RE:SURE detects the intruder entering the grounds of your home, fully trained security Operatives based at the firm’s 24 hour purpose built Control Centre are immediately alerted and will access live footage of your house.

The Operatives will command the intruder to leave using a speaker system (installed as part of the package) whilst observing them live on screen and issuing continual live warnings; ensuring the intruder flees before attempting to get inside your home before any damage or theft occurs.

Since the intruder has been caught before they have even begun, they flee the premises before any damage or theft can take place. The homeowner is contacted when a real event occurs and the Gardai are also immediately informed.

“Brazen Burglars”

John MacMahon, Hogan’s business partner, added: “We examined our own intruder alarm statistics with the national figures and realised that we were seeing a rise in the percentage of burglars were simply more brazen than before – they know there is an alarm, but also know that they can be in and out before any real response will occur.”

We thought there must be a better way and wanted a system that detects the criminals before they ever got near your home and allowed us to intervene immediately, then that window of opportunity will be slammed shut. Our instant, preventative response is better and more effective. We see it as the evolution of home security.”

Installation of RE:SURE Home is designed to be fuss free and typically takes about a day to complete. For those that already have CCTV installed it’s even better; any existing CCTV system can be easily upgraded to a RE:SURE Home system.

The company reports strong demand for their new product nationwide, particularly in Dublin, Belfast and larger isolated homes in the countryside. Each home is assessed on an individual basis dependent on size and need. Costs include an installation charge and monthly monitoring fee.

Hogan added: “RE:SURE Home, offers the newest, most advanced protection system for your home, delivering a preventative security solution that’s built for purpose in 2015.  Yes, it’s an investment but what price do you put on your peace of mind and knowing that you’re protecting your family and possessions with the very best product that’s available?”

According to research from The Garda National Crime Prevention Unit, over €35 million worth of property was stolen from Irish homes in the past year between July 2013 and July 2014

Of that, Jewellery made up to 40% of all stolen property and represented a value of €14.2 million with €7.2 million taken in cash.  Cars were also a major focus for thieves.

Analysis from Gardaí shows that the most common point of entry for burglars is the front door (29%), a rear window (26%), and a rear door (22%).  In addition 20% of households are entered by burglars through an unsecured door or window.

One of the most regular pieces of advice to householders from the Police s is to have your house alarm on – even when you’re in.  That’s not an issue with the RE:SURE HOME security product as it’s fully operational and monitored 24 hours a day.

RE:SURE Home – “OBSOLETE” HOME ALARMS IN FIRING LINE… is a post from our security and CCTV monitoring blog.