Burglars by and large prefer the light of day to the dark of night. Of more than 50 home break-ins in Lynnwood so far this year, all but one occurred during the day. Crooks play the odds, figuring homeowners are most likely at work on weekdays. Their prime time is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Several police departments across Snohomish County report the most common break-in method is a hard kick to the door. Burglars also look for crimes of opportunity, entering homes through unlocked doors or open windows. With high prices for gold these days, burglars are targeting jewelry. Guns, laptops and other electronic equipment also are hot commodities. So what can you do to protect your home?
20 burglary-prevention tips suggested by local police
1. Trim shrubs around doors and windows so burglars don’t have a sheltered place to work.
2. Don’t hide spare house keys outside the home. Find a trusted neighbor instead.
3. Lock all doors and windows, even when leaving for a short time.
4. Have locks changed or re-keyed when moving into a new home or apartment.
5. Install deadbolt door locks on exterior doors and any interior door between the garage and house.
6. Install locking devices on all windows.
7. Install track-type locks, drop bars, wooden dowels or pinning devices on sliding glass doors.
8. Consider keeping valuables in a safe deposit box.
9. Ask to see door-to-door vendors’ permits or licenses.
10. Don’t post photos on social media sites updating people about your vacation.
11. Install lights by all exterior doors and make bulbs hard to reach.
12. Illuminate house numbers for quick emergency-services response.
13. Install solid-core or metal-exterior doors.
14. Install peepholes on doors.
15. Upgrade locks to the latest security advances.
16. Complete Operation ID and display the window stickers.
17. Never let strangers enter your home.
18. Never give keys to people making improvements to your home.
19. Use motion sensors and photocells on exterior floodlights.
20. Store ladders in the garage or padlock them to fixed objects so burglars can’t use them to reach upper floor windows.
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