We were raised to answer the door politely when someone knocks or rings the bell. Often times, it’s someone with a clipboard asking for voter registration or to sign a petition for a cause. These volunteers, and their cousins, the door-to-door salespeople, are in our neighborhoods in full force now. It will only get worse as election season hits its stride.

For the most part, these doorknockers are legitimate. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous people only want to gain access to your home to see what goodies you have. Your safety comes first when it comes to anyone who knocks on your door – whether they are legitimate canvassers, political volunteers, or sellers of products.

Here are some tips to keep you and your home safe during this increased door-to-door activity.

1-Don’t answer the door. You’re under no obligation to open your door to anyone. In fact, unless you’re expecting a delivery, simply keep the door shut.

2-If you must answer the door, step completely outside and close the door behind you. Never let anyone – a delivery person, volunteer or solicitor – inside your home. And try to keep them from looking inside, too. Stepping outside your home and closing the door behind you accomplishes this.

3-Write down what you see, especially if you see suspicious vehicles unloading crowds into your area. Make note of license plate numbers of suspicious vehicles, descriptions of individuals and what they are wearing.

4-Be aware of your neighborhood. See a strange car parked on your street? See tip #3. Is your neighbor’s garage door up at an unusual time of day, or when you know they are away? Call them to verify their activity.

5-Don’t be George Zimmerman, the Florida man now on trial for confronting someone he thought was suspicious. Instead, call police when you see out of place activity or people.

7-Call or email Armed Response Team for a free, no obligation, in-home security assessment today. On top of everything else, install and use a security system that promises an immediate, armed, in person response to alarms – with no false alarm fines and no long-term contracts. You’ll increase your peace of mind, and you will save on your homeowner’s insurance, too.

The epidemic of copper theft in Albuquerque has reached new highs – or lows, depending on your perspective. And it’s not just the cost of the copper that businesses have to shell out to restore their power when thieves steal the copper wiring from power lines. It’s the cost of having your business shuttered while emergency crews race to restore your electricity.

Click the image to see the KOAT-TV story on how copper thieves struck a food pantry

Click the image to see the KOB-TV story on how businesses lose out when copper thieves strike

Without power, businesses suffer, just like the ones in these recent news stories. Because these days, electricity powers lights, computers, cash registers and credit card machines, as well as telephone lines. It also, as the story on the left demonstrates, means hungry people are now without food.

Armed Response Team is starting a notification campaign to our commercial clients warning them of the dangers and costs of copper theft. We’re letting you know our officers have new methods to proactively detect attempts at copper theft before you are victimized. We have a number of methods we deploy to protect you, and they are all tied to our unique in-person response by an Armed Response Team officer.

Please don’t become another crime statistic. Call or email today for a free, no obligation security assessment by one of ART’s Security Advisors. Drawing on years of police experience and crime scene investigation, we know how crooks act, and we will give you great advice to stop them.