Burglary Prevention Tips From Sac PD

The Natomas area has recently seen an increase in property related crimes and the Sacramento Police Department seeks your assistance in reducing this problem in your neighborhood.

Most important is to call the police if you happen to see any suspicious activity. Secondly, you need to make your residence unattractive for the potential burglar. This can be accomplished by the following:

• Develop a relationship with your neighbors.
• Have plenty of lighting around the perimeter of your residence.
• Install a burglar alarm that rings inside/outside your residence.
• Turn on your alarm when you leave.
• Lock up your house when you are not home.
• Dogs are a good deterrent.
• Install screws in the track above the sliding door frame.
• Have solid doors with strong locks and strike plates at all entrances.
• Install door viewers with wide-angle lenses.
• Use deadbolt locks that extend at least one inch from the edge of the door.
• Use padlocks of hardened steel shackle with a double locking shackle at the toe and heal.
• Remember to look for clues that someone may be casing your neighborhood. A stranger at your door asking for someone you don’t know may be checking to see if someone is home. Don’t open the door, but make sure they know someone is home.
• Keep your hedges and trees trimmed away from your house.
• If you’re gone for extended periods don’t make it obvious. Use timers on lights inside and outside the home. Stop the mail and the newspaper. Have a family member or friend keep an eye on your residence while you are away.
• Keep your valuables in an unlikely place. Most burglars go directly to the bedroom.

For more detailed information please review crime prevention tips on www.sacpd.org.
Remember that a crime can only be committed if three elements are present:

1. An offender who is intent on committing the crime;
2. A victim who is seen by the offender as vulnerable;
3. An environment that brings them together in the same area.

Finally, most criminals don’t want to be seen or observed. Keep your eyes and ears open to anything suspicious or unfamiliar and call the police. We want to work with you to make Natomas the best place to live and work.