Summer Crime Prevention Tips

These tips are courtesy of Heidi Harrison Chain of the 112 Precinct Community Council.

As we are approaching summer, we need to remember basic safety for our residence. The and the 112 precinct community council want to remind you of the steps that you can take to avoid being a victim.

If you are in an apartment and have a fire escape- make sure that window is locked. Purchase a fire escape gate that can be easily opened in the event of a fire, but that protects you against crime.

Do not leave your windows open! Lots of people in our community are going to work and leaving the windows open. The criminals see the open window and this becomes a crime of opportunity. They enter and take your things. This is easy to prevent — close your windows

Lock your doors. It seems that there are homeowners in our area who leave their doors open. Criminals enter and take the homeowners’ property.

The precinct has advised that over 80 percent of the burglars in our community came into the residence thru either through an open window or open door. WE CAN STOP THIS!

To prevent burglaries:

• You can install outside lighting on your house
• You can use timers on radios and lamps inside your house or apartment.
• You can use an alarm system if you have one installed.

When you are on vacation:

• Ask neighbors you trust to park their car in your driveway while you're gone,

• Use your trashcans to give your home an inhabited look

• Make sure someone will pick-up your mail and newspapers while you're away— or arrange at the post office for your mail to be held and have the delivery of your newspapers stopped.

• Ask neighbors to remove flyers that people leave on your lawn

• Arrange to have someone water your yard and plants.

• Be sure to use automatic timers to turn lights and your radio on at appropriate times

• Leave your drapes or shades in their normal position.

• Be certain someone has an emergency number to reach you if necessary