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Warm
weather safety tips offered
to residents
According to FBI statistics, a house, apartment or condominium is
burglarized once every 15 seconds.
Fortunately, burglary is one of the most preventable crimes. By taking a few
simple precautions, you can dramatically reduce the risks.
With the onset of warmer weather, many residents open windows and garage
doors to ventilate their homes. However, leaving windows and garage doors
open and unattended provides a would-be thief with the opportunity to
inventory your belongings for future reference, or even gain access to your
home. The average burglar will spend no more than four to five minutes
trying to break into a residence. An open window or door provides a burglar
with direct access in a few seconds.
Many thieves are capable of stealing property in a very short amount of
time. People who are walking or driving by a residence can steal bicycles,
lawn care products, tools and other items in a matter of seconds. Even
worse, a burglar could enter a garage, close the door and have more than
enough time to pry open the inner door to a residence while remaining hidden
from the street.
Shrubbery also provides a burglar with a place to hide, and should never
block the view of your exterior doors or windows.
Cerritos Sheriff’s deputies stress the need for a constant homeowner
presence when any exterior doors are open. If you need to ventilate your
garage, remain inside of the garage or in the front yard where activities
can be monitored.
Even when owners have been in the backyard, there have been incidents where
perpetrators entered the garage to steal items. Make it a point to properly
close your garage door if you are not planning on maintaining visual contact
with the front of your house. If you see that your neighbor’s garage door is
open, try to contact them and pass on this important message. If you are
unable to contact them, be a vigilant neighbor and keep an eye on their
property. This will help prevent opportunistic would-be thieves from being
converted into spontaneous criminals.
An additional method of protection is the use of deadbolt locks on all
exterior doors. Side garage doors that are not visible from the street
should be constructed of a solid core and should not contain any glass.
Locking pins should be installed and used on all sliding windows and doors.
Don’t hesitate to make eye contact with anyone you suspect may be “casing”
your property. This makes burglars extremely uncomfortable. If you see a
suspicious individual, call the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station immediately at
(562) 860-0044. If possible, write down a description of the individual and
the vehicle’s license plate number.
Remember, it takes less time to open a window and cool down a home after you
have returned to your residence than it does to replace all of your stolen
property.
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