Residential Burglary Preventions Tips from APD

Below burglary prevention tips recently received from the APD Crime Prevention Unit.

Please pass this info along to your neighbors.

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ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT
CRIME PREVENTION UNIT

Residential Burglary Prevention

Residential burglary rates are generally dictated by the active involvement of individual citizens and cooperative education efforts by neighborhood associations and other community groups. Homeowners who are willing to take certain steps to prevent this type of crime, along with the assistance of local law enforcement, can reduce and sometimes prevent break-ins and burglaries. Consider the following prevention tips as well as ways to retrieve any lost or stolen property.

• Establish trusted relationships with neighbors on your block. Agree to watch out for each other and report any suspicious activity in and around your home. Remember, residential burglaries statistically occur during the day, so if possible, identify trusted neighbors who might be home during this time.

• Evaluate your existing lighting and pay particular attention to access points such as entry/exit doors and windows. Make sure that each area has adequate illumination so that your neighbors can see any suspicious activity occurring on your property. Consider adding motion sensors to lights in remote areas around the home.

• Each door should be metal or solid core with a deadbolt lock and a minimum 1” throw. Short strike plate screws should be replaced with 3-4” screws that secure the plate into the doorframe. Doors should also be equipped with 180-degree eye viewers. Consider a security screen door.

• Trim all bushes and shrubs below the window level and up from the ground. Trim mature trees up to a level 6-8 feet above ground. Eliminate hiding places or areas that allow someone the opportunity to enter through a window without being noticed.

• All primary window locks should be in place and fully operational. Install secondary thumbscrew locks on guide rails. Place them in a location that prohibits the window from being opened more than a few inches. Also, make sure screens are in place and secure. (Note: Windows and pet doors are common illegal entry points)

• Install screws in the upper rail of sliding glass doors. Place them just far enough into the rail to prohibit the door from being lifted and removed. Dowel rods and “charley bars” are secondary methods to secure the door, but make sure the primary locking devise is operational.

• Non-forced entry burglaries are on the rise, especially during warm weather months. Eliminate this possible access point by closing and locking garage doors, windows and front/back doors.

• Organize a Neighborhood Watch for your block by calling the Albuquerque Police Departments Crime Prevention Unit at 924-3600

• Operation ID: Record the make, model, serial number, value, and any other distinguishing features of all valuable property in your home. Store this information in a secure location like a safety deposit box, with a trusted friend or family member. A video recording of the items is also recommended. Engrave a number on the back of each item that is significant to you and place the number on your record sheet (Note: Do not use your social security number to eliminate identity theft). Stolen property is often recovered and in the absence of an engraved number, you have no proof the items are yours. The recorded items can also assist with insurance claims.