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New Phone App for Crime Data
It seems like there's a phone app for nearly everything these days. Well crime statistics aren't being left out of the loop. Have you ever wished you could access the nationwide sex offender registry or crime data in your town? Well, wish no more.
With the CrimeReports phone app, you can get access to all the crime info from anywhere on the go. Anytime you bring up the app, it will automatically take you to the crime information based on your GPS location.
CrimeReports gets crime data and sex offender information from over 700 law enforcement agencies and sex offender data from all 50 states. You can get crime information by location, address, type of crime and date range. You have your choice of viewing the data in a list or on a crime map. You can sign up for crime alerts and request that your local law enforcement agency participate in CrimeReports if they are not already sending data.
The app is free at the iTunes app store. It shows crime data for your city, and updates as often as the police send their data, which is typically once per day. To see if your city police department is participating, you can go to crimereports. Sex offender information comes from the national registry, OffenderWatch, and is updated regularly.
It is convenient to see crime that happens close to your home, work, children's schools, etc. If your local police department isn't sharing data with the app, then you will still have access to the sex offender information which is also handy for parents, grandparents, babysitters, etc.
The CrimeReports app is a great way to help keep your family safe and know what is going on in neighborhoods you visit regularly. With the convenient email crime alerts you can get information as it is updated in your city.
Selecting a Security System for Your Home
If you are in the market for a home security system, it's a good idea to do your research before selecting the system and the security company that will work the best for you. Home security is a big decision, and you definitely want to do some research before you buy.
Most break-ins and burglaries don't even make it on the evening news because the media doesn't have time to cover every crime that happens each day. If your home is the one that gets burglarized, you will certainly see it as news worthy and important. So what are some things that you should look for when selecting home security equipment for your home?
Pricing is the most common deciding factor that decides what equipment most people purchase. Home security equipment comes in a wide variety of pricing depending on the services you need and how long you make a contract for. Monitoring services are not usually included in the initial cost of the security equipment, but most of the time you can get some great discounts when you buy a system from a company that offers monitoring services. Many companies offer discounted equipment, installation and even monitoring discounts.
Another very important factor when selecting a security company is the reputation of the business. It can't hurt to see how long they've been in business and if they have any pending issues with the Better Business Bureau. Companies that have been around for awhile have proved the test of time, so you don't need to be as concerned with them going out of business. Also, check into customer satisfaction ratings. Most companies provide their customer satisfaction information to the public, and if they don't there is probably a reason.
Your home is your biggest investment, and you want to make sure to take the time needed to do your research on equipment and services before you trust your home in just anyone's hands.
Home Security Gadgets to Fool a Burglar
Companies are coming up with all kinds of techno-gadgets to fool burglars and their inventive home-robbing ways. Outsmarting a burglar is easier than you may think with some of these inventive new tools.
Finger Print Locks
If you are nervous about leaving a key under the mat for a child or want a lock that is better than your basic lock, look no further than with a lock that will unlock for fingerprints that are registered in the lock system. You can register several fingerprints without worrying about handing out multiple keys and your family losing them. Most locks of this type are drill proof, pick proof, and commercial grade, but more households are having them installed for added convenience and safety.
Get a Fake TV
The Fake TV is designed to make it look like someone is at home watching television. The built-in computer controls LED lights to light up a room the way a TV does. It is small and lightweight and extremely easy to use. It uses less energy than leaving the TV on, and it is small and compact.
Hidden Cameras
A hidden camera that is motion-activated can be a very good way to survey your home day or night. They are designed to look like radios, air purifiers and other common household items, but offer a high-resolution camera that will give you quality color images captured onto a SD card. A hidden camera is a great asset if you are gone from home a lot and want to monitor specific areas of the home or exterior.
Window Alert Sensors
Now it is easier than ever to install a sensor on your windows because the majority of them are wireless. Some of them install with a peel-and-stick adhesive to a window frame. These little sensors provide you with a loud alarm in case a window is opened. These sensors can also be used on doors too, so they are versatile, and can be purchased for less than $10 each.
Benefits of Home Security
If you are considering a home security system, you may be surprised at how affordable they are in the long run. It is important to protect your home and family from many unfortunate events. For more protection than traditional deadbolts and window locks a security system acts as a real defense against all types of threats including home invasions, fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. No matter the budget you are in there are a lot of good security options for you and your family.
The equipment of traditional security systems generally includes a control panel, motion detectors, door and window sensors, sirens and yard and window decals. The main control panel is installed inside your home in a central location that allows you to conveniently arm and disarm the system.
Once you have a security system installed, what about monitoring? The majority of security systems purchased at the hardware store do not include a monitoring service. You usually have to purchase the service separately. The company in charge of monitoring is notified when alarms go off inside your home, and they dispatch the appropriate emergency personnel to your home to stop a burglar, put out a fire, or assist with carbon monoxide leaks.
You are probably asking yourself how much all of this is going to cost. Well, a lot less than you may think. A basic system can usually be purchased for around $100, and will go up in price from there depending on the features you are looking for. A lot of security companies offer discounts on monitoring fees when you buy a security system, and many offer specials and deals on their equipment as well if you are willing to sign a contract. Depending on the length of the contract you sign up for, you can also get additional discounts.
Burglars Looking for Drugs: Pharmacies and Homes Targets
American pharmacies are part of a scary trend in robberies. It is becoming a much more frequent situation to open the newspaper or turn on the TV to find out about a pharmacist being robbed at gunpoint.
The U.S Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that armed robberies at pharmacies have risen 81% from 2006 to 2010. Robbers are usually looking for Oxycontin and Hydrocodone based medications.
In New York, Florida, California, and Indiana, just to name a few, the number of pharmaceutical robberies has gone up tremendously. One pharmacist in New York that has been a victim twice in the past year is calling the problem "an epidemic."
It makes sense that the misuse of prescription drugs is also on the rise in the United States. Drug addicts are coming up with ways to satisfy their addiction.
Home burglaries with criminals looking for drugs are also on the rise. Instead of breaking into a home to steal expensive equipment and jewelry, many burglars are raiding the medicine cabinets of homeowners to steal their prescription medications. Vicodin, OxyContin, and Norco are three of the most commonly misused prescription medications among more than 7 million Americans that abuse painkillers every month, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Fortunately, the burglars and robbers don't injure anyone very often. Their main interest is getting the drugs. But police are becoming more worried that these criminals will do anything to get the drugs they are after. A recent crime involving a neighborhood pharmacy in New York involved an armed robber shooting and killing the attendant, clerk at the store, and two customers so he could steal a backpack full of highly addictive prescription medications.
The president of Physicans for Responsible Opioid Prescribing is a group of growing doctors that advocates taking a more cautious approach to prescribing addicting medication. With the rising trends many people get addicted to narcotic painkillers after being prescribed them for a legitimate reason.
