Home Safety in Westbrook Village – Garage Door Closures
As we get into spring weather here in Westbrook, we need to be diligent about home burglaries and property theft. Our minds sometimes tend to drift off to Spring Training, sun tanning by the pool and other outdoor activities. Meanwhile, hit and run burglaries because of open garage doors at residences, go up during this time period every year.
Look at some amazing FBI statistics from 2019;
- Approximately 11.5 people out of 10,000 fall victim to property crime every year
- There is one burglary every 13 seconds!
- Average dollar loss on burglaries is about $2,416.00
Let’s concentrate on open garage doors, in which most burglaries take under 3 minutes to perform. Let’s chat on how you can protect your property on this opportunity crime.
Steps to take on preventing Open Garage door Burglaries
- Always keep your Garage Door shut!
- When working in the back yard, keep your Garage Door shut even if you are going to be “a few minutes”.
- If you don’t already have one, spend a few dollars and buy and outside remote keypad. That way, you can always access entrance to the garage, if you are working or entertaining in your back yard. These a very affordable at Lowe’s, Home Depot or Amazon, ranging from $19.95 to $39.97
- Make sure you have good lighting around your house within the acceptable WBV HOA guidelines.
- Look after your neighbor’s houses as well. If you see an open garage door in your area, go over and let your neighbor know that their door is open. If no one is home? Call the Posse Office at 623-566-3133
Keeping your Home Safe
Here are some tips to keep your home safe:
- Most burglars or intruders look for homes that appear easy to burglarize. WV residents should look at all entry points and consider how their home looks to outsiders. All doors should be secured with deadbolt locks rather than spring latch locks. Make sure doors are always locked, even if going out just for a few minutes. Ensure all windows are always locked and sliding glass doors have locks that are up to date. Reinforce sliding windows and doors with wooden dowels or steel bars where possible.
- Are entry points visible from the street? Burglars look for doors the windows that are blocked by trees or bushes so they can do their work undetected. If needed, trim shrubbery to keep doors and windows exposed.
- Never leave a spare house key “hidden” outside your home. If needed, leave one with a trusted neighbor or buy a lock box.
- Residents should make their home look occupied when away. Keep the TV or a small light on when away. If there is a concern about electricity costs, there are several inexpensive timers available that will keep the lights on for certain periods of the day.
- Beware of what is shared online. Burglars often check social media to find families that are away for extended periods of time. Tighten up social media accounts privacy settings when posting vacation photos or itineraries.
- Get an alarm system if possible, and chose a program that notifies the local law enforcement agency when the alarm is triggered. Post alarm system signage to discourage potential burglars.
- Don’t let packages linger at the front door. When expecting a delivery while away ask a neighbor if they can accept it from the carrier.
- Residents need to know who is allowed inside and do not allow strangers in their home. Do not be embarrassed to ask service workers (plumbers, electricians, etc.) for their credentials before letting them in.
Everyone should feel safe at all times but it starts with us to ensure our own safety. Being aware of your surroundings and thinking ahead go a long way to preventing yourself from being a victim of
crime.
The following links provide additional suggestions to keep yourself safe.
Homeland Security – Protect Myself from Cyber Attacks
Good Neighbors
Safety and security is a major part of what
Westbrook Posse offers to this community. As a part of that
commitment, we would like to provide some resources to our residents to help
improve their own security.
The following links provide information
compiled from a variety of sources designed to help keep you safe.
Personal security
In our every changing world of technology,
cyber-security is more important than ever. There are numerous resources
available to protect yourself from fraud, theft and exposure of personal
information. Below you will find just a few.
Home Security