Stop Thieves Dead In Their Iracks
With Deadbolt Locks, Other Tricks
BY RAHN ADAMS
Don Gales likes deadbolt locks.
He doesn't care about the particular
brand, just as long as it's a double
keyed, double-cylinder, case-hard
ened, heavy-duty deadbolt lock.
Gates isn't a h ware salesman.
He is crimc pre
vention officer
for the Bruns
wick County
Sheriff's De
partment, and
his job is to
help local resi
dents find ways
to protect their
homes and pro
pertv from GATES
thi ss, whether by advising home
owners to buy and install deadbolt
locks or by encouraging them to
join neighborhood watch programs.
As advisor to Brunswick Coun
ty's 40 community watch organiza
tions, Gates can reel off a list of
ciime prevention measures as easily
as anyone else recites their ABC's.
And if you can't absorb all the in
formation in one sitting, he gladly
will give you a copy of the N.C.
Department of Crime Control and
Public Safety's publication, "Start
ing a Community Watch," which in
cludes most of the tips he shares.
His first suggestion, of course, is
to install deadbolt locks on all out
side doors to your home. "Don't
buy the most inexpensive lock when
you go to the store," he advises,
"because you're going to get what
you pay for."
Double-keyed locks are better
than models with thumb turns on
the inside, he added, because an in
truder who gains entry into the
house by some other means still
wouldn't be able to open the door
from the inside without a key. When
residents are at home, they should
keep a key in the lock so that they
can open the door quickly in the
event of an emergency.
Also, Gates noted that if a house
key is lost or "compromised" (loan
ed to someone who might copy the
key), the home owner should get the
cores of his locks replaced ? a job
that can be done by any competent
locksmith.
Since windows also are favorite
points of entry with burglars, the of
ficer recommends that key-operated
window latches be installed. Sliding
glass doors ? which Gates called
"the biggest pain" ? should be se
cured with a pin-type locking de
vice; a dowel rod laid in the door
track; or a "charlie bar," a device
that is fastened across the ccntcr of
the door.
Alarm systems also are popular
ILLUSTRATION FROM
-STARTING A COMMUNITY WATCH*
A DEADBOLT LOCK often is
a home owner's first line of
protection against a residen
tial break-in. Imw enforce
ment agencies recommend
double -cylinder deadboli
locks, such as the one pictur
ed above.
for home protection. Pointing out
that several different types of
alarms are available, Gates again
said individuals shouldn't "skimp"
on expense when choosing an alarm
system. He added that the sheriff's
department can recommend particu
lar systems to meet individual home
owner's needs.
Measures also can be taken out
side the house to make a criminal's
"job" more difficult. "Don't let
shrubbery grow up so that a thief
can hide and work on your win
dows," Gates said.
Another simple tip is to keep
front and back porchlights turned on
at all times after sundown, not just
when the home is unoccupied. "Any
time you light your premises up,
you're going to discourage someone
from breaking into your house,"
Gates said.
By leaving outside lights on all
night, no pauern is set which would
let "neighborhood crooks" know
when no one is home, the officer
explained. He said General Electric
Corporation recommends using a
60-watt bulb on the front porch and
a 40-watt bulb on the back porch,
because 100 watts of electricity can
be burned inexpensively.
Just in case a thief would be able
to get inside a house despite the
aforementioned crime prevention
measure, home owners should be
sure all their high-value items are
photographed and engraved with
their driver's license numbers (pre
ceded by "NCDL," if they are North
Carolina residents).
Gates said Social Security num
bers should not be engraved on
property, since local law enforce
ment agencies do not have access to
the Social Security computer sys
tem. If stolen goods inscribed with a
driver's license are recovered, local
authorities can trace the owner
through the N.C. Department of
Motor Vehicles.
Buiiders
Association
Meets Monthly
(Continued From Page 2)
Mrs. Means, the only employee
of the association, works out of a
small office on the second floor of
the South Brunswick Islands Cham
ber of Commerce building in Shal
lotte. She keeps office hours Tues
days and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to
4 p.m.
Shreve said the association plans
to make and install a new sign in
front of the chamber of commerce
office this year and add a new en
trance at the rear of the building.
Formed in March 1984, The
South Brunswick Islands HBA is
one of two home builders associa
tions in Brunswick County, with the
other serving the Southport-Oak
Island area.
The association is one of about
75 local home builders associations
across the state that together boast
more than 10,000 members.
The South Brunswick Islands
Home Builders Association meets
the fourth Thursday of each month
at Sea Trail Plantation's Tavern on
the Tee at Sunset Beach. Social
hour starts at 6:30 p.m. and meet
ings begin at 7 p.m.
For more information on the as
sociation, call Mrs. Means during
office hours at 754-5544 or Shreve
at 754-6614.
9 f&Sfw
Enhance the beauty and value
of your home...
...with a spa or hot tub,
and relax in a Down East or Spring
Harbor acrylic spa by Fort Wayne
...with BioGuard Products
for proper care of your pool, spa & home.
BioGuard
BioGuard
HOME CARE
PRODUCTS
Liquid Laundry ? Auto Clean
Off-The-Wall Surface Cleaner
Pine Scent ? Glass ETC
MSR Mildew Stain Remover
Bring your pool
to BioGuard.
Three steps to
easy pool care. 5S5
1 . Stingy Stick?
2. Burn Out?
3. Back Up?
BoGum
*
BioGuard
SPA PRODUCTS
?Chlorine
Concentrate
?Water Clarlfler
?Ph Balancers
We Know Pools.
Chemicals ? Accessories ? Equipment
Daily Maintenance ? Installation ? Service & Repairs
I
nwyiuv.m
BioGuard* Computerized
Water Analysis FREE
PROFESSIONAL POOL
MAINTENANCE
ggl 579-8828 ? OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY gg
Island Village Specialty Shops (Behind IGA), Hwy. 179, Ocean Isle Beach
s
Mortgages
'Construction
?Autos
Boats
Lots
Mobile Homes
Equity Loans
Other Worthwhile
Purposes
First
Investors
SAVINGS BANK
Coastal Plaza
Shallotte
him m?K
LENDER
Business Hours
Mon.-Thurs.
9 AM-5 PM
Fri. 9 AM -6 PM
Drive-In Opens at 8:30 AM
754-5400
?1 WO THC BWUNSW>CK BEACON