Northwood News ♦ June 2009

Steps to Take to Prevent Residential Burglaries

Most residential burglaries occur during the daytime while residents are away at work and school.  For many of the burglaries that occur, the entry is made at the back of the home.

Doors to a kitchen or basement are often breached.  The wood of the door, the wood of the framing, and the sturdiness of the lock can fail, causing the breach.  If the home is older, it may be time to invest in a new door.  Doors that are solid wood or metal are best.  Reinforced frames that have four-inch screws securing the framing will be a benefit.  Locks with at least a one-inch bolt or throw are the recommended hardware.

Since windows are also vulnerable, please be sure to close and lock all windows before leaving the property.  If you have older windows with a wood frame, single pane of glass, and a single crescent lock, pin the windows with a nail penetrating both the upper and lower sashes.  You can also place a Charlie bar or wooden handle in the track to keep the sash from being raised or lowered.  If the house is older, perhaps new windows would be best.  Newer windows have two or three panes of glass, aluminum or fiberglass frames, and additional locks and lock-off mechanisms all built in.  Most new windows have all of the security measures already in place.

Tall, dense shrubs and low-hanging limbs on trees make a home more difficult for visual access by neighbors and those who pass by.  It is best to have shrubs at a mature height of two feet and for the lowest limb of a tree to be no closer to the ground than six feet.  This allows those in the area to clearly see activity occurring on the property.

Alarm systems can be a good investment.  Alarms with audible devices and monitoring systems can alert you and the police that an incident has occurred.  There is a lag time between the times the alarm is activated until the arrival of the police.  With an audible device, a breach may occur but a theft may not.  The sound of the alarm would be a deterrent and may scare away the burglar before the remainder of the crime occurred.  A number of alarms are activated accidentally.  Because of this, there is a false alarm reduction unit that does fine individuals whose alarms have been accidentally activated more than three times within a 12-month period.

Most burglars don’t carry weapons and most don’t want to deal with dogs.  Most burglars do not want a confrontation with a homeowner.  To avoid this, the burglar might approach the front door first, knocking loudly, to determine if anyone is home.  If there is no one home, the burglar will move to the rear of the house to commit the burglary.  If someone answers the door or makes himself known, the burglar will make an excuse and leave the property.

Please keep a vigilant watch over your neighborhood and report any suspicious persons, vehicles, or activity.  The police non-emergency number is 301.279.8000.  You are the eyes and ears of your neighborhood and the police rely on your information.  When in doubt, call!   ■