Home Burglary Prevention Tips

Residential Burglary Prevention
Door being forced open by burglar

Burglary Prevention Tips

The Long Beach Police Department would like to share some important information to keep your home and property safe. Now that Fall is upon us the days get darker much sooner and potential burglars go through neighborhoods looking for darkened houses with little to no exterior/interior lights. The following burglary prevention tips will help to make you and your family safe. The most important thing you can do is call the police to report a crime or any suspicious activity. You know your neighborhood best and must be the eyes/ears of your neighborhood. We encourage you to call us at 219-874-4243.

  • Make your home look occupied, and make it difficult to break in.
  • Lock all outside doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed. Even if it is for a short time, lock your doors at all times!
  • Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away for a length of time, connect a few lights to automatic timers to turn them on in the evening and off during the day.
  • Keep your garage door closed and locked.
  • Don’t allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers, amazon packages or flyers build up while you are away. Arrange with the Post Office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or neighbor to take them regularly.
  • Arrange for your lawn to be mowed or driveway plowed if you are going away for an extended period of time.
  • Check your locks on doors and windows and replace them with secure devices as necessary.
  • Pushbutton locks on doorknobs are easy for burglars to open. Install deadbolt locks on all your exterior doors.
  • Sliding glass doors are vulnerable. Special locks are available for better security. Install a wood closet pole in the track.
  • Other windows may need better locks. Check with a locksmith or hardware store for alternatives.
  • Lawn mowers, weed trimmers, barbecue grills, and bicycles are best stored out of sight.
  • Always lock your exterior sheds and garages.
  • Use curtains on garage and basement windows.
  • Never leave notes on your door such as “Gone shopping.”
  • No lock, regardless of its quality, can be truly effective. Key-in dead bolt locks provide minimum security. Ask a locksmith for advice on your situation.
  • Change locks immediately if your keys are lost or stolen.
  • When moving into a new home, it is recommended to have all locks changed.
  • Have adequate exterior lighting. A motion-sensitive light is recommended for backyards.
  • Trim trees and shrubs so that they cannot be used as hiding places for intruders.

Alarms:

  • An alarm system is excellent for home security. It provides peace of mind to homeowners, especially while on vacation. There is a wide variety of alarm systems available. Make several inquiries to different companies for the best security system available to you.

Other precautions you should take:

  • Never leave keys under doormats, flowerpots, mailboxes or other “secret” hiding places—burglars know where to look for hidden keys.
  • Keep a detailed inventory of your valuable possessions, including a description of the items, date of purchase and original value, and serial numbers, and keep a copy in a safe place away from the home—this is a good precaution in case of fires or other disasters. Make a photographic or video record of valuable objects, heirlooms and antiques. Your insurance company can provide assistance in making and keeping your inventory.
  • Be a good neighbor. If you notice anything suspicious in your neighborhood, call 911 immediately.
  • Mark your valuables with a unique number, for example last four digits of your SSN. Marked items are harder for a burglar to dispose of and easier for police to recover. We recommend using an engraver.

          In closing, the Long Beach community is a very beautiful and safe community.  By following the above listed tips, we can continue to keep unwanted thieves from entering our community.  Stay safe and healthy everyone.  

           Yours in Public Service, 

            Chief Mark Swistek