It has been brought to our attention that there has been a recent trend in our area of home burglaries and larcenies from vehicles. There are a few things that we can do to deter these thieves from targeting us or one of our loved ones.
Largely the current trend is for home break-ins (burglaries) to be committed during the day when most of us are at work or school. The vast majority of thefts from vehicles occur during the overnight hours from unlocked vehicles.
The following is a list of ideas to keep in mind during this busy time of the year. Most seem like common sense but deserve being mentioned anyway:
*First and foremost, be vigilant. You know your neighborhood. If something looks out of place or someone looks suspicious, take note and notify the police. Pay attention to vehicles parked and driving in the area that don’t belong. Suffolk Police are deploying extra patrols to the area, both marked units and plane clothes officers. A simple 30 second phone call to 911 could prove to be useful.
*A common ploy being used is for individuals to approach what may appear to be an unoccupied house and knock on the door to check. If the home owner does answer the individual may ask for directions or if anyone has seen a lost pet. We have always told our children not to answer the door for strangers, and children should NEVER open the door for someone they do not know. BUT, they should make some noise to let people know that the house is occupied. Turn on the television or a stereo loud enough for someone at the door to hear. Simply ignoring an unknown person at the door may not be enough to keep them safe because if they think that no one is home they make attempt to get in. Make sure your children know how to call the police, dial 911. If they think someone is trying to get in they should call right away and let thePolice know. Better safe than sorry.
*Make your house look occupied. Utilize outside lights, take mail from the mailbox daily and pick up newspapers from the driveway.
*Lock your house doors and use home alarms.
*Do not keep valuable things in your vehicle. Keep vehicle doors locked, especially overnight.
This was an email originally sent out to members of Sachem Sports Club, but still applies to everyone in the Sachem community.