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Protection of Your Primary Home Bedroom

Oct 9 / Dan Keller






Home burglars most frequently target the primary bedroom upon gaining entry to a home or residence. Their logic and motivation for doing so is that the primary bedroom is where unused jewelry and/or other valuables can be found. Thus, the need for proactive security measures for the primary home bedroom.

The era of pollical and cultural discord is another potential reason for enhancing the security of the primary home bedroom. Tragic incidents of violence can justify the need for a home shelter-in-place.
 

There has been recent surge of home burglaries of professional athletes and celebrities. “Burglary Tourists” is a term used for individuals from other countries who enter the United States legally, often with a visa waiver or tourist visa, and then burglarize high value homes, frequently of athletes and celebrities. In doing so, the “burglary tourists” usually target the home’s primary bedroom.

 

How to Protect the Primary Home Bedroom

  • The door leading to the primary bedroom should be solid core construction such as high density particle board or wood stave (solid hardwood blocks) with a minimum of 1 ¾ inch thickness.
  • The door to the primary bedroom should have a high security deadbolt lock with at least a 1 inch throw (length) and an embedment of at least ¾ inch into the strike plate receiving the bolt.
  • The strike plate for the door lock should be sixteen (16) U.S. gauge steel, bronze or brass secured to the door frame with a minimum of four (preferably six) offset 3 inch wood screws for additional strength.
  • The door to the primary bedroom should be a component of the home security intrusion detection system utilizing magnetic door contacts.
  • There should be an audible security alarm annunciator near the primary bedroom.
  • If the door leading into the primary bedroom swings outward, it should have non-removable hinge pins.
  • Primary bedroom windows should be either forced entry resistant laminate glazing or shatter resistant window film, but not annealed or tempered glazing.
  • Primary bedroom windows should be equipped with a secondary locking mechanism.
  • Primary bedroom windows should be alarmed with either acoustical (recognize sound of shattering glass) or shock glass break detectors.
  • If primary bedroom windows are at ground level, install motion detector lighting near the windows.
  • Maintain a charged cellular telephone in the primary bedroom at night.
  • Store valuable jewelry, not frequently used, in a commercial bank deposit box or other financial institution.
  • Store cash, stocks, bonds and other financial instruments in a commercial bank deposit box or other financial institution.
  • The primary bedroom door should have a metal door jamb reinforcement.
  • Keep a tactical flashlight near the bed in the primary bedroom.
  • The primary bedroom should have general purpose first-aid kit.
  • The primary bedroom or adjoining closet should have a heavy-duty fire safe firmly bolted down for non-financial instruments of value.
  • Keep a charged fire extinguisher and smoke detector in or near the primary bedroom.
  • Possibly keep personal safety items such as chemical spray or firearms (if legal and stored safely).


THE PRACTICAL HOME SECURITY GUIDE 
The American Crime Prevention Institute (ACPI) has developed a comprehensive
home security video presentation, “The Practical Home Security Guide”.


This one-hour video presentation is ideal to download and share with
Neighborhood Watch and Nextdoor participants.


Also included is an exclusive Residential Security Survey template
that can be shared with homeowners and residents.


To learn more about “The Practical Home Security Guide”, visit:
 https://www.acpionline.com/course/practicalhomesecurityguide


ACPI is the worldwide leader in enabling law enforcement agencies, businesses, institutions, and security professionals to reduce criminal activity and risk and enhance quality of life through the delivery of practical, unbiased training and certification programs.  Visit our website at acpionline.com to learn about our comprehensive list of both live virtual and self-paced training courses.