More Tips to Prevent Summertime Burglaries
Channel 4 KRNV News brings to us more tips on preventing burglaries and break-ins this summer. The tips offered were especially recommended by the Reno Police Department to thwart and deter burglars.
From Tips to Prevent Summertime Residential Burglaries:
- For ventilation, only block windows open about 6-inches or less,and make sure someone can’t reach in from the outside and remove the blocking device, or reach through and unlock an adjacent door.
- Keeping windows secure by making sure the latch is in good condition and properly adjusted, and using a secondary blocking device, that is relatively inexpensive and can be found in hardware stores and often in the hardware sections of many grocery stores.
- Inexpensive wooden dowels and sticks can work well for horizontal sliding windows that can also be equipped with screw-type devices that lock into window channels to keep windows from being opened. Anti-lift devices such as through-the door/window frame pins are useful for horizontal windows.
- Use solid core or steel external doors rather than hollow-core doors that can easily be kicked in.
- Make sure door installations do not have gaps around the door frames that can provide leverage for removing a door from its frame.
- Avoid using decorative door installations that include glass sidelight panels that can be broken for easy access to interior locks.
- Install heavy-duty deadbolt locks with a one-inch throw bolt and heavy-duty four-screw strike plate with three-inch screws penetrating into a wooden door frame on all exterior doors as well as doors leading from your garage into your home.
- Doors leading into the home from the garage should be kept locked at all times.
- Secure sliding glass doors, that can be lifted off their tracks, with vertical security bolts, solid wood rods on the inside tracks, or similar locking devices.
- Secure pet doors that may not allow adult burglars entry, but can be used by smaller children to enter your home and give burglars or others access.
- When pulling your vehicle out of the garage, be sure to close the garage door completely, or, if using an automatic garage door opener, wait until the garage door is closed and secured before leaving.
Residents are also advised to watch out for their neighborhood and neighbors’ homes. Being watchful and observant are also great deterrents.
