Burglary Prevention Checklist

• Keep the area around your house well-lit.
• Have a wide-angle door viewer (peephole) in your front door so you can see who is at the door.
• Always acknowledge a caller at your door to determine who they are and what they want. Some burglars ring the door bell, and if there is no answer, they break in.
• Do not open your door to anyone you do not know.
• Secure any sliding glass doors. Put a steel rod in the door channel. Install 2 or 3 screws in the overhead track to reduce the chance of the door being lifted out of the track.
• Complete a home inventory list, complete with photos or video. Store this list in a secure location, preferably away from home.
• Participate in Operation Identification - engrave your driver’s license number on your property. Burglars do not want marked merchandise.
• Keep bushes and trees well-trimmed. Thick, tall shrubbery provides hiding places for burglars.
• Make sure that the locks on your doors and windows are strong and secure and use them.
• Consider into installing a burglar alarm system.
• Display “warning” signs. If you have a dog or alarm system display signs that say you do.
• Never leave a house key in an obvious place such as a mailbox or under a doormat.
• Be careful with your keys. Put your house and car keys on separate key rings.
• Have a security plan for when you are on vacation. Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up the mail, etc.
• Be wary of wrong numbers and teach children what to say to strangers on the phone.
• Know the steps to take if your home is burgled.

If you see a burglar in action, get a good description of the person, their car and tag number. Write it down and call the police immediately!

If you are burglarized:

1. Do not enter your house if you return home and find signs that a burglary is taking place or has taken place. Go to a safe place immediately, such as a neighbor’s home, and call the police.
2. If you enter your home and find evidence of a burglary, call the police immediately. Do not touch anything or move anything around. Give the police a chance to gather evidence that may have been left.
3. Try to determine what has been taken and prepare a list of stolen items (with serial numbers if possible) to assist police in their investigation.