Burglary Prevention Month

   June is Burglary Prevention Month, so it's a great time to take steps to make your home safer. Here are 4 tips to get you started:

1. 1. Always lock all your doors and windows when you leave the house (even those on  upper floors).

   2. Think about installing motion-sensor lights around your home.

   3. Keep any ladders locked up so they can't be used by burglars.

   4. When you go on vacation, make sure your home does not look like you're out of town. For example, keep your car in the driveway and your lawn mowed while you're traveling.

   5.  Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away for a length of time, connect some lamps to automatic timers to turn them on in the evening and off during the day.

   6. Don't allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or flyers build up while you are away. Arrange with the Post Office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or neighbor to take them regularly.

   7. Pushbutton locks on doorknobs are easy for burglars to open. Install deadbolt locks on all your outside doors.

   8. Sliding glass doors are vulnerable. Special locks are available for better security.
   Other windows may need better locks. Check with a locksmith or hardware store for alternatives.

   9. Lawn mowers, snow blowers, barbecues and bicycles are best stored out of sight.

   10. Always lock your garden sheds and garages.

   11. Use curtains on garage and basement windows.

   12. Never leave notes on your door such as "Gone shopping."

   13. Trim trees and shrubs so that they cannot be used as hiding places for intruders.

   14. Make sure your door hinges are on the inside.

    

If Your Home Is Broken Into:
If you come home to find an unexplained open/broken window or door:

• Do not enter - the perpetrator may still be inside.  
• Use a neighbor's phone to call police.  
• Do not touch anything or clean up until the police have inspected for evidence.  
• Write down the license plate numbers of any suspicious vehicles.  

Note the descriptions of any suspicious persons.

Other precautions you should take:

• Never leave keys under doormats, flowerpots, mailboxes or other "secret" hiding places -- burglars know where to look for hidden keys.  
• Keep a detailed inventory of your valuable possessions, including a description of the items, date of purchase and original value, and serial numbers, and keep a copy in a safe place away from home -- this is a good precaution in case of fires or other disasters. Make a photographic or video record of valuable objects, heirlooms and antiques. Your insurance company can provide assistance in making and keeping your inventory.  
• Trim your shrubbery around your home to reduce cover for burglars.  
• Be a good neighbor. If you notice anything suspicious in your neighborhood, call 9­1­1 immediately.
• Mark your valuables with your driver's license number with an engraver you can borrow from your precinct. Marked items are harder for a burglar to dispose of and easier for police to recover.  
• Form a Neighborhood Watch Group. We can help you work with your neighbors to improve security and reduce risk of burglary.  

Consider installing a burglar alarm system. 

The MOST important thing YOU can do is CALL THE POLICE to report a CRIME or any SUSPICIOUS activity. You have to be the eyes of your neighborhood. And remember you can always remain a pair of anonymous eyes!

Remember the three L's of Crime Prevention: LIGHTS, LOCKS & the LAW!

Light up your residence, lock your doors at all times, and call the Law when you see something suspicious.