| The real truth is that nothing can make your home burglar proof. But you are certainly not completely helpless to make your home dramatically less vulnerable to a burglar by following a few simple suggestions:
When you leave your home even for a short period of time, lock your doors and windows. It is surprising how many people do not use even the most basic burglary prevention tools- locks on doors and windows. Inspect your door locks for the level of security they provide. “Double key” deadbolt door locks offer greater security because you need to use a key to open the lock from the outside and the inside of the door. A burglar who enters your home through a door or window can leave your home simply by turning a door knob or handle on the inside of a door unless the door is secured with a “double key” door lock. In that case the burglar must use a key or break the lock. If you want to be able to quickly leave your residence in the event of an emergency, leave a key in the inside “double key” deadbolt lock while you are inside your home, but be certain to remove the key when you leave your home. The length of the “throw” on a deadbolt door lock is critical. The “throw” is the metal bar that extends from the door lock into the doorjamb. The longer the “throw” the more difficult it is for a burglar to break the deadbolt door lock without shattering the doorjamb. The windows that are easiest for a burglar to defeat are louvered window panes. Louvered panes can be easily removed by removing the clips that hold the window panes in place. Consider all the “pros and cons” before deciding to install bars on your windows. If you chose to install window bars be certain that they can be opened easily and quickly from the inside in the event you need to escape a house fire. An additional measure of security for the sliding glass doors and windows of your home that is relatively easy and cheap to install is inserting dowels in the door and window tracks. Cut two pieces of dowels to insert into the door and window tracks. One dowel should be cut so that it fits snuggly and tightly into the door or window track when the door or window is completely shut. Even if the locking mechanism is defeated, the dowel in the door or window track will make it much more difficult for a burglar to open the door or window. The second dowel should be cut to a length that allows for a minimal opening of the door or window- wide enough to permit ventilation but narrow enough to prevent a burglar from slipping through the door or window. Based upon your particular needs at the time, insert the appropriate dowel into the door or window track. Stop newspaper and mail delivery and put the interior lights in your home on a timer while you are away from your home for any extended period. Request a vacation house check while you are away from your home for an extended period of time. The Dacono Police Department will periodically patrol check your home while you are away for an extended period of time as calls for service permit if you notify the Department. To request a patrol check of your home, contact the Police Department. Keep the trees, bushes, and plants around the immediate perimeter of your home reasonably trimmed to allow more unobstructed views of your home. Consider installing exterior motion detector lights around the perimeter of your home if you do not live in an environment where the lights will be continually illuminated by animals. Burglar alarms are an option you might consider installing, but remember that even the most sophisticated and expensive burglar alarms have limitations. The Police Department does not directly receive burglar alarm activations. Alarm activations are first transmitted to the alarm company, then forwarded to the Police Department through the Weld County Dispatch Center, so there is some delay in a police response. As an option, consider simply posting notices or decals on your property or home that your home is alarmed, even if it not. It may not always be successful, but most burglars are interested in targets of opportunity or least resistance and will likely not tempt fate by trying to see if your home really is alarmed. Be certain that your valuable property is clearly identified and that you maintain a record of that identification in a separate location in case your home is burglarized. The easiest way to maintain a record of your property is with serial numbers. For valuable property without serial numbers consider engraving your driver’s license number or Social Security number on the property. If the property has no serial number and is too small to engrave with an identification number but it is still valuable and distinctive, for example a piece of expensive jewelry, consider taking a photograph of the property. It is much easier to provide a photograph of a piece of jewelry than to try to describe the jewelry in words. Without a numerical or photographic record of your property it may be very difficult for an investigating officer to identify and return your recovered stolen property to you. A final point, but certainly one of the most important points- be aware of your neighbors and your neighborhood. Take the time to get to know your neighbors so that you will be aware when something at your neighbor’s home does not seem to be “right.” It probably isn’t. Ask your neighbors to watch your home while you are away and be willing to watch their homes while they are away. Look out for each other. Consider forming or joining a Neighborhood Watch program. If you are interested in forming a Neighborhood Watch program, contact Commander Brian Skaggs or Chief John W. Hough at the Dacono Police Department at 303/833-3095. You can make a difference and you can make your home much more secure. John W. Hough Chief of Police |
| Burglary Prevention tips |