Burglary Is Up In Houston. How To Deter Criminals

On July 11th, 2010 the Houston Chronicle reported burglary crimes where up across the city.  Reasons for the increases from the data gathered include population growth and the poor economy.  Many of the hard hit areas include low-income areas where home owners cannot afford alarm systems.  The top 10 zip codes reporting the highest increases in burglaries include 77036, 77009, 77072, 77060, 77063, 77077, 77042, 77016,77082 and 77021.  Suburban areas are also seeing an increase in burglary including Bellaire and Sugar Land.   Surprisingly, most burglaries occur between 7am and 1pm when most people are at work.

Officials recommend steps you can take to deter a burglary.  These include….

• Know your neighbors and their cars!  Easier to spot strangers on your street.
• Set your alarm if you have one.  Better if the system is monitored.
• Lock all your doors and windows when leaving.  Side garage doors or that one window left unlocked can be an easy access point.  Never leave keys in the locks inside.
• Use timers for lamps, radios, TVs to make it appear someone is home.  Random is the key.  Turn down or off phone ringers and answering machines.  They might call to see if your home!
• No hiding places.  Trim bushes.  Add motion detector lights (these are easy to do).
• Never leave notes on the door for deliver packages.  Ask neighbors to pick up newspapers, door hangers and packages while your gone.
• Put out a large dog bowl outside and put water in it.  Even if you don’t have a dog!
• Have a locksmith review your dead bolt locks and strike plates.  Make them kick-in proof.
• When leaving town, let neighbors and local police know.  Police will come by and check your property from time to time to make sure all is OK.

Don’t be a victim!  Get involved with your neighborhood and the community with patrols and keep up with the latest news.  Maybe your hard work, and those of your neighbors, will reverse this rising trend.