Posted: 3 Oct 13
On Thu, Oct 3, 2013 at 2:49 PM, Pittsburg Police Department (CA)
<pittsburg-police-department-ca@emails.nixle.com> wrote:
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 | | Thursday October 3, 2013, 2:41 PM | Pittsburg Police Department (CA) |
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Community: Burglary Prevention Tips.
Here are a few tips that can help you keep you—and your property—safe and secure.
5 burglary-prevention tips:
1. Keep a low profile.
Is your flat-screen TV visible through a window from the street? Do you have an expensive car parked in your driveway? To a burglar, those are signs that your home might offer a lucrative haul. Keep expensive items concealed, and don’t advertise large purchases by leaving boxes at the curb.
2. Maintain visibility.
Tall shrubs and privacy fences provide burglars with cover so your neighbors won’t see them breaking in. Keep windows and doors visible to deter burglars. Install motion-activated floodlights around your home to draw attention if someone approaches after dark.
3. Lock windows, and don’t keep ladders outside.
People often forget to lock upstairs windows—and burglars know it. Make sure all your windows are locked when you’re not home, and keep your ladders in a locked garage or shed so a burglar can’t use them to access upstairs windows. Lock double-hung windows with key locks or “pin” your windows by drilling a small hole at a 45 degree angle between the inner and outer frames, then insert a nail that can be removed. You should secure basement windows with grilles or grates (but make sure that they can be opened from the inside in case of fire).
4. Make it look like you’re home.
Unoccupied houses are prime targets. Use timers on lights, televisions and radios to create the appearance of activity. Burglars hate bright lights. Install outside lights and keep them on at night. Motion-detector lights can be particularly effective. If a burglar thinks someone is home, they’re more likely to skip your house. Leave shades, blinds, and curtains in normal positions, and make sure you don’t let your mail and/or newspapers pile up. Call the post office and newspaper to stop delivery or have a neighbor pick them up. Burglars’ often knock on a door to see if anyone is home. If you are home, turn on a light, ask who is at the door, and if you are not comfortable, call the police immediately.
5. Secure doors and windows.
Burglars look for weak doors with old hardware that are easy to kick in. If your doors aren’t secure, replace the knobs, locks and hardware. Make sure every external door has a strong, well-installed dead bolt lock. During hardware installation, use long screws that help resist kick-ins. Install a peephole or wide-angle viewer in all entry doors so that you can see who is outside without opening the door. If you have a doggie door, secure it with a lock or just seal it up. Sliding glass doors offer easy access if they are not properly secured. You can secure them by putting a broomstick or dowel in the inside track to jam the door or by installing commercially available locks. To prevent the door being lifted off of the track, drill a hole through the sliding door frame and the fixed frame. Then insert a pin in the hole.
** One other important note – never leave a message on your answering machine that indicates that you may not be at home, or that you live alone. Instead, say “We’re not available right now.”
For full details, view this message on the web. |
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65 Civic Ave, Pittsburg, CA 94565
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