This week we heard of a theft of personal property from the driveway of one of our neighbors. That, and that we’re on the eve of a new year, a time for fresh beginnings, make it a good time to review some tips for crime prevention:
- Keep your car doors locked, and don’t leave things on the car seats to entice thieves.
- Keep your home doors and windows locked; many burglaries are not forced entry, meaning the thieves found entry through unlocked doors and windows.
- Lock your belongings in the garage or house.
- Write down serial numbers of your electronics to help police find them if they’re stolen.
- Put good deadbolts on your doors.
- Clear overgrown foliage from around your house so your neighbors can see what’s going on, and so burglars don’t have cover for what they’re doing.
- Get contact information from your neighbors and call them if you see something suspicious.
- Communicate with your neighbors when you’re leaving town so they can watch your house for you.
- When you’re gone, use timers to turn your lights off and on to make the house look occupied.
- Call 911 if you see something suspicious. The police urge us to call rather than merely wonder if something is out of order.
- If you are victims of a burglary, report it to the police. The more the police know about what is going on in our neighborhood, the better they can protect it.
- We are always welcome to contact our SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator, Diane Horswill, at diane.horswill@seattle.gov or 206-684-7711.
Have a safe and happy new year!
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