Neighborhood Advisory

We're now at 3 total homes broken in to here in the hood. Here's a few friendly tips we learned at our neighborhood watch meeting if you're interested in knowing how to make your home more secure:

- apparently new construction is so thrifty the screws that hold in the kick plate on most dead bolts are only 1/4 inch thick; they don't even go into the 2x4 in the door frame; you can buy a more secure kick plate with longer screws at the hardware store for $5

- the hinge screws on most front doors aren't long enough either. you can buy longer ones (3 inches are supposed to be sufficient) at the hardware store for a buck or two.

- sliding glass doors are able to be "picked up" off their track and pulled right off. this is the preferred home invasion method in oakleaf these days said property management rent-a-cop. you can buy a pin screw something or another at the hardware store for $3

- if you have a home owners association you should get budget reports monthly. ours is nearly broke and can't afford to repair the front gate. we're not sure what our monthly payment goes to since our grass is dead, we haven't had mulch in over a year and the speed bumps i fought so hard to shoot down but were still approved haven't been put in yet.