Starting today, I’ll be posting answers for common questions from burglary victims. Mukilteo police detective John Ernst agreed to lend his experience working cases for a quick FAQ. For more information on this series, check out the introduction and table of contents.
Sirens: Before a burglary ever happens, what I can do to be prepared? What property should I have documented?
Detective John Ernst: First, make your house a hard target. An alarm system is a great deterrent, but only if you use it every time you leave the house, and only if you place the signs in your front yard and the stickers on all the windows. Burglars have been known to do recon on target houses, and even though you only intend to be gone a short time, they can strike right after you drive away and be done in less than 15 minutes. I recommend locking all of your doors and windows when you leave home, including the door between the house and the garage. The garage is often a soft spot for home security.
One of the most common methods of entry is a kicked front door. Sturdy exterior doors with good deadbolts help. I’ve seen a company online that sells a product that will reinforce your door jamb. I have also seen security products that you can wedge between the floor and the door knob, and another that locks one of the door hinges to stop the door from swinging open. All of these increase your security.
Get to know your neighbors on either side of you and across the street. Exchange phone numbers with them. Get to know each other’s schedules and let them know if you are going to be out of town. If they see a strange vehicle in your driveway or a stranger walking around your house, they should feel comfortable calling you to ask about it. Nosy neighbors are a great crime deterrent.
A safe is great for keeping valuables secure, but if it’s not securely attached to the structure of the house (especially the smaller personal safes) it becomes a convenient way to carry your valuables away. Document all of your valuables with digital photographs. For consumer electronics, document the make, model and serial number. For valuables without serial numbers, I suggest engraving your driver’s license number into the item. Photograph all jewelry. Then keep the photos safe off site. I suggest people create a couple of free email accounts with some of the large email providers (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc.), email the photos to the accounts, then save them to a folder. That way you can access the photos on any computer.
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