Houston: Home Security & Crime Prevention Tips

Houston is TX’s most populous city and the heart of the greater megaregion area known as the Texas Triangle. Nicknamed the “Bayou City”, “Space City”, “H-Town”, and “the 713”, Houston has become a global city, with strengths in culture, medicine, and research.

Below are some tips, questions and thoughts you should be asking on how to protect your home from crime as well as recommendations.

Tips in Preventing Crime for your Home in Houston

01

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

An approach that uses architectural and urban design to depress crime, specifically when it comes to your natural surroundings, applying CPTED, will discourage criminal behavior and improve visibility of potential offenders to the neighborhood

Questions to ask yourself when evaluating the security of your home:

Does the landscaping on my property obscure the view from my neighbors and/or community?

Do you have exterior ambient lighting in driveways and entrances?

Are there any areas that aren’t visible to me if someone hid behind or inside?

Criminals are craft and usually know a thing or two when it comes to entering a property. Here are some security tips to improve your environment:

Keep Areas Will Lit: Entrances should be bright at all times and provide visibility from both inside and outside.

Make sure your main entrance is visible from the street.

Your address (on both the home and curb) is visible from the street in case of an emergency.

Eliminate Hiding Spots: Cut down or eliminate hedges, bushes, or hiding spots.

Railings, fences, or walls are both well constructed and transparent.

02

Talk to a Crime Prevention Officer!

Crime Prevention Officers are specialists in engaging and educating the community about crime prevention initiatives. If you have experienced a crime or have general questions about your home security, reach out to a crime prevention officer near you

Houston is broken down into 5 major police stations that consist of Central, Downtown, Clear Lake, South Gessner, and Kingwood divisions.

Central

Downtown

Clear Lake

South Gessner

Kingwood

03

Install a Home or Camera Security System

Home security systems and/or security cameras are essential these days to keep your house, loved ones, and belongings safe. This industry has seen some significant breakthroughs, and keeping your home secure has never been so simple.

With many options to choose from, it is essential to know some key features of the security system you are considering. See the system features you should pay attention to or continue to read below.

Install a Home or Camera Security System

Crime Data in Houston

MY CHANCES OF BECOMING A VICTIM OF A PROPERTY CRIME

Houston

1 in 23in Houston

Texas

1 in 44in Texas

HOUSTON PROPERTY CRIMES

Population: 2,304,580

	Burglary	Theft	Auto theft
Report Total	15,962	68,396	14,867
Rate per 1000	6.93	29.68	6.45
US Rate per 1000	3.12	13.90	2.45

Source: https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tx/houston/crime

Security System Features Worth Noting

When choosing the right home security, you NEED to consider the following

Who's Monitoring It And How?

Traditional security systems provide reactive monitoring, meaning a break in has to occur for the system to receive an alert in the first place. Likewise, Proactive systems focus on preventing crimes before they happen and are alerted beyond the moment of break — by watching alerted situations unfold

What's The Monitoring Center's Response To Suspicious Activity?

Pay attention to the level of service and measures taken to secure your property with intruders. Most security systems never interact with intruders, they simply receive a notification to then relay to law enforcement without any knowledge of what’s going on, only lowering the level of urgency for law enforcement that is usually dealing with several verified situations.

What Do They Say Or Relay To Law Enforcement?

It all comes down to IF the security company has eyes on the scene before contacting authorities or going by reactive sensors and notifications. It’s always a great idea to check the protocol and requirements of handling non-verified security calls, as most police departments in US cities won’t prioritize calls from window-and-door sensor alarm providers due to the high number of false alarms.

How Bad Are False Alarms?

Here’s the harsh reality: anywhere from 90% to 99% of security alarms are false alarms. Forgotten codes and accidental activations are a rampant problem with windows and door sensor alarms. False Alarms are a big reason why police departments now give out hefty fines to homeowners or make it a low priority.

Does The Contract Ranger From 3-5 Years Upfront?

How long is your contract? Alarm monitoring contracts can last from anywhere from 12 months to 60 months, but the industry standard is about 36 months. Be sure to look into their trial period, giving you an opportunity to back-out before committing to what could be a long-term contract.