Residential Burglary
We cannot stress enough the importance of taking steps to secure your home to prevent burglary.
As we’ve detailed in the past, we often see an increase in home burglaries during warm weather months. Windows are left open for ventilation, yet we often forget to close and lock those windows as we leave the home, which creates an opportunity for a would-be burglar to gain entry without using any force. Recent incident reports show a marked increase in the number of burglaries where the burglar entered through an opened and unlocked window.
Additionally, we’ve had those rare burglaries where an attempt or successful entry was made into the home while the residents were there. I stress that occupied burglaries are rare. Most burglars do not want to encounter anyone, which is why the majority of residential burglaries take place during the day when residents are most likely to be away from the home at work. In cases where a resident was home, the burglar may have just been in the home long enough to take a few items before fleeing; in other cases the would-be burglar fled after realizing that the home was not vacant.
You may think it’s safe to leave a window open for ventilation because of its height off the ground. This is not always the case. In a recent incident, burglars used a lawn chair from the person’s back yard to boost themselves up to the point where they could reach and further open the already opened kitchen window. In another incident, a neighbor’s ladder was used to gain entry via a second story window.
Open and unlocked windows are not the only way burglars are gaining entry into the home. Quite often, a rear door is forced open, usually by kicking it near the knob/lock.
Another thing we often see this time of year is burglaries of residences when the occupants are away on vacation or may have gone out of town for a few days. In these instances, there are telltale signs that indicate someone hasn’t been at the home in a while. These include mail and/or newspapers piling up, curtains drawn during the daytime, porch lights left on during daylight, … things that make it apparent that no one has been home in a while.
What You Can Do
Burglary, like most crime, is a crime of opportunity. Let’s eliminate those opportunities and possibly, therefore, the crime.
• Always close and lock windows whenever away from the home. If you want to leave windows open enough for ventilation, but not wide enough for someone to gain entry, use a dowel for sliding glass windows cut to allow the window to open no more than 4”
. For double hung windows, consider sash pins. Some windows have stops installed on the inside track, which will also prevent the window from being opened too far. We still advise that you close and lock all windows and doors for any time you area away from your home. While we understand the desire to ventilate the home when you are not there because of the heat, be aware that you make your home vulnerable and you create an opportunity for the burglar
. Install good quality dead bolt locks with at least a 1” throw on all exterior doors.
. Replace the existing screws in the strike plates with screws that are 3”-4” long. When a door is forced open, it is the jamb that splinters and gives, not the door. By securing the strike plates with 3”-4” long screws, you secure the jamb to the wall stud. When the deadbolt lock is engaged, the bolt goes into the jamb and the jamb is now secured to the framing of the home. This makes it much more difficult for a person to force open a properly locked door.
. If you’re going to be away for an extended time, ask a friend or trusted neighbor to watch your home.
. Let your trusted neighbors know that you plan to be out town so that they can watch your home for you. If they see suspicious activity while you are gone, they will know to call 911 for you.
. Have the Post Office hold your mail and hold your newspaper delivery.
. Make it appear that your home is occupied. You can do this by having timers set within the home that will turn lights on and off. You may want to consider timers for your exterior lights or photocell attachments (which activate when it gets dark and go off when it becomes light).
. Secure all tools, including ladders, so they cannot be used to gain entry into your home or that of a neighbor.
Night Out 2007 Reminder
Once again, we wanted to send you a reminder about National Night Out Against Crime 2007. It is Tuesday, August 7th. To find out more about this, please contact Kathy Kaminski, Seattle Neighborhood Group’s Weed & Seed Program Coordinator at 206.323.9671 or email at kathy@sngi.org.
Until next time, Take Care and Stay Safe!
Mark Solomon, South Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator
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