15
Feb
2010
Are You A Good Neighbor?
Things are so bad out there lately that I think it is time to update our good neighborlyness and add an item or two to keep your neighborhood safe. You and your close neighbors all can agree to contact each other if there is any kind of unusual activity spotted at someone’s house. Get each other’s cell phone number for quick access if there is a big truck parked in the driveway and some big guys loading up or any other thing that needs to be checked out. If some stranger is fiddling with your neighbors car you might want to call your neighbor before strolling over to help out with getting into the car or looking under the hood. These tips are based upon actual events that took place under the neighbor’s noses and resulted in big rip-offs that could have been thwarted with a simple phone call. Your neighbors would rather you be a bit nosy sometimes. If you aren’t then you will spend the next ten years apologizing for letting someone rip them off while you were watching. Better yet, go in with each other to purchase alarm systems from Security One and get a package discount price that is very attractive. A residential alarm system is the way to go if you want real “peace of mind”. Guru
13
Jul
2009
BEWARE THE DOOR TO DOOR
We have a very serious influx of door to door alarm salespersons in Hawaii for the summer and possibly beyond. They are in your neighborhood promising you a free system or trying to take over your current alarm company system. BEWARE! This is a mainland scam that has been identified as a rip-off! No established, LICENSED, local alarm company goes door to door. They have been known to lie about being your current company, having a contractor’s license and being a local company. Check them out before you let them in the door. Tomorrow I will give you some things to ask them that will reveal who they really are. In the meantime, if someone at your door asks if you have an alarm system just say yes, and it is a good one.
12
Jun
2009
HOW SAFE IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD?
I am often asked if I know which neighborhood on Oahu is the “safest”. I’d like to be able to say the answer to that question is that all neighborhoods on Oahu are “safe” but, unfortunately, I cannot. After years in this business I can say with confidence that there are no “safe” neighborhoods on Oahu. Burglars go wherever they find a home or business that looks unprotected and easy to enter. What can you do to guarantee you will not be a burglar’s victim?
1. Installing a burglar alarm system is the first line of defense for very little investment in money and time. The reasonable cost of a good alarm system often is a surprise. The “peace of mind” it gives you is priceless. Estimates are free from good alarm companies. Be sure the company you are dealing with has a contractor’s license and read your contract carefully so you know what you are getting for your money.
2. If you have an alarm system, get it updated. Touch screen keypads are the latest and greatest but the thing you want to make sure you have installed is the GSM cell radio module that will send signals to your central station if your phone or cable lines are cut. Yes, some smarty burglars have figured out that cutting those lines interrupts the transmission of signals and the dispatch of the police. The GSM solves the problem. If the lines are cut the GSM does the transmission as effectively as the phone line. If you don’t have land line phones you can still have an effective alarm system with the GSM as your primary monitoring vehicle. If you want to go really, really high tech GSM’s will provide web-based remote system control and e-mail notifications of events.
3. Beef up your Neighborhood Watch so it will really work for you. Go to all the neighbors and tell them that you will always let them know if you are moving or expecting a furniture delivery. Give them your work number. If they see a big truck backed up into your driveway and some guys loading up they can call you to see if this is for real or just someone emptying out your house. I know is sounds far fetched but this is happening island wide.
4. Don’t keep your car and house keys hanging on a convenient peg by the door. Don’t leave your purse by the door or in the kitchen so you can grab it on your way out. Hide your purse and keys in the house where are not easily located. Don’t leave your wallet and car keys on the dresser at night. Hide them in a place no one prowling around would look to find them.
Everything I have mentioned above is something that I have seen over and over again in every neighborhood on the island. We want you to be safe in your home and business. It is really up to us to see that our neighborhoods are safe.