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Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on October 7, 2010 at 8:13pm

From our Crime Prevention Officer ****Burglary Alert****
There have been many burglaries in your area in the last several months. Many are occurring in the day time. Please be vigilant in keeping an eye out in your neighborhood. Call 911 whenever you see something you think is suspicious. (See below for some examples) Get to know your neighbors if possible and look out for each other. You can call the NSC office, 428-7630, and have a police officer come to your home and assess its security. We can often give you free or low cost solutions to common areas of weakness. Here are some general tips to prevent being a victim.
• Secure your garbage toter- it is often used to reach higher windows or roll your stuff away.
• Do not assume any first floor window is too high for someone to get in. Look for hose outlets, electric meters, gas inlets, or molding that someone could stand on.
• Can deadbolt be reached/turned if a small window is broken or opened?
• Be sure you have a way to see who is at the door before you open it (peephole/ window).
• If you have storm doors, lock them. They are noisy just to open.
• Secure basement windows with glass block or bars.
• Make sure air conditioner cannot be pushed in or pulled out.
• Never bar bedroom windows, but don’t leave them open, either.
• Use curtains, drapes, or blinds on first floor windows, especially near holidays.
• Secure second floor windows if they can be accessed from porch, attached garage or other low roof, large tree branches, etc.
• Keep shrubs below window level.
• Make sure house numbers are highly visible and in usual spot.
• Make sure your alarm company has updated info.
• Make sure the alarm panel isn’t visible from a door or window.
• Consider installing an alarm or even just putting the signs up.
• Keep cell charger on nightstand so cell phone is at your bedside at night.
• Burglars don’t always look like crooks; they may have been to your house before for delivery or yard maintenance.
• Record all the serial numbers of your electronics. It’s how we catch thieves and get your stuff back.


We know you can’t call the police every time someone walks down your street. And the police can’t respond and check everyone out just because they are walking down the street. BUT, we are having a burglary problem, so we would like you to take a second and watch those that pass through your neighborhood. Become a “people watcher”! For example, three teens walking on the sidewalk, talking and joking, probably are not a problem. But three teens walking down the street, looking at houses, not talking much to each other, probably at least warrant your attention. Below is a list of some common behaviors of our local burglars. These are all things that have happened. Anyone that actually comes to your door for any of the reasons listed below is worth a call to 911.
Common Behaviors Exhibited by Possible Burglars/Thieves

 “Non-home owner” looking at houses as they walk down a street.
 Approaching houses for lame reasons. Possibly multiple houses.
 Directions.
 Looking for old friend, used to live there.
 Shovel driveway/rake leaves.
 Use phone/ bathroom.
 Soliciting anything (illegal to begin with).
 Most popular sob stories involve:
 Ran out of gas, car broke down.
 Need medicine.
 Anything for their children (food, meds, warm clothes)
 Need money for bus fare.
 Walking a couple feet up a driveway, then back out.
 Someone waiting in front of a house. Waiting for a ride, or a look-out, there’s a big difference!
 Someone pushing a City garbage toter down the street.
 Carrying unusual items (TV, other electronics, lawn equip).
 Someone looking in the windows of parked cars.
 Someone looking at or watching people that are out in a neighborhood.


While you are out and about in your neighborhood, keep your eyes out for
signs of a recent theft. Below are some common indicators.

 Open doors/ windows.
 Property “stashed” in yard, along/behind a building or a fence.
 Vehicle abandoned in a vacant yard or on street.

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