Raleigh, NC – The Pleasant Ridge & Ramsgate Community Watch, building a safe and informed family community, is partnering with Raleigh Police Department (RPD) to bring you the following residential burglary prevention tips.
It’s unfortunate that we have to highlight crime in our neighborhood, but there have been several break-ins in the Lineberry area over the past few weeks. Trailwood Hills and Trailwood Springs have been hit pretty hard. Hot items include flat screen TV’s, jewelry, cash, laptops, and other items of convenience.
Be sure to review the following crime prevention tips to make your home safer. There are no guarantee’s, but you can make things more difficult for burglars.
- Make your home look like someone is at home, ie…leave interior lights on, burn exterior lights, install motion lights, leave radio/tv playing, extra car in drive,
- Install quality dead-bolt locks with a one-inch throw bolt on entry doors, install double cylinder dead-bolt locks for doors that have glass within 40 inches of locking hardware. ALWAYS keep the key for double cylinder dead-bolt locks in close proximity to the door, and always in the same place, so that it will be there in the event of escaping during a fire.
- Install a heavy duty 4 screw strike plate, with 3 inch screws to penetrate into the 2×4 rough framing, not into the trim wood.
- Install solid-core wood, fiberglass, or metal exterior doors.
- On sliding glass doors, use a wooden dowel, or a track blocker to prevent opening.
- Use alarm decals, beware of dog decals, and/or community watch decals near doors.
- LOCK EXTERIOR DOORS, AND WINDOWS
- Replace broken locks on windows
- If you drill holes in window sashes for pins, ALWAYS remember that this presents a hazard for escaping quickly in the event of a fire, especially for children and the elderly.
- Cover windows with blinds or curtains.
- Don’t hide your house key in close proximity to entry doors.
- Mark valuables with your driver’s license number, using an engraving tool, take photos of valuables that would be defaced if marked.
- Find GOOD hiding places in your home for high-ticket items, especially jewelry. Jewelry boxes make things quick and easy for the burglar. Don’t use the typical places like under mattresses, in drawers, in desks/file cabinets, etc.
- Secure guns in safes that are bolted to the floor or large enough that someone could not move without a lot of help.
- Limit the amount of cash kept in the home, and store it in a creative hiding place.
- Get a dog, not only are they scary, but they draw attention by barking.
- Establish a relationship with your neighbors, so that they will keep an eye on your home, especially if going out of town. Encourage neighbors to call the police if they see suspicious activity around your property. Give them contact numbers for reaching you.
- Start a community watch group in your neighborhood.
- If out of town, have your neighbor collect mail, newspaper, packages, leave radio, lights on automatic timer, etc.
- Report suspicious people, door-to-door solicitation, strange vehicles in area, people asking for work, anyone with stories that don’t add-up, and anyone carrying items from someone’s home, or carrying back-packs, bags in the area.
- Consider an alarm system if you don’t already have one.
- Be careful of who you invite into your home. Know them.
Tags: community, community_watch, crime_prevention, neighborhoods, RPD