| Most Residential Break and Enters (B & E) | | | | moving around your house. A motion detector |
| are crimes of opportunity. They occur because | | | | could be applied to trigger a radio show to play |
| homeowners provide the opportunity and there | | | | inside the house, just like a similar application in the |
| are individuals (criminal elements) willing to take | | | | movie Ferris Beuller's Day Off. Make it look like |
| advantage of the situation. Police and Community | | | | someone could be at home. (reduce the |
| Policing efforts continue to empower communities | | | | opportunity and increase the rick of being |
| to collectively develop partnerships aimed at | | | | observed) |
| delivering meaningful crime prevention and | | | | 5) Timers and Day/Night Timers - Light up your |
| community safety initiatives like Neighborhood | | | | garden, pathways, sidewalks and your property |
| Watch. | | | | with low voltage and LED lighting. These are |
| The 3 major deterrents to most crimes targeting | | | | beautiful landscaping touches to your property as |
| residential property include: | | | | well.(increase the rick of being observed) |
| 1) reducing opportunity | | | | 6) Barking dog - A dog inside your house that |
| 2) increasing the difficulty to perpetrate a crime | | | | barks on the slightest motion or noise outside |
| of theft, burglary or intrusion | | | | your house is a great opportunity reducer. A big |
| 3) increasing the time required for an intruder to | | | | barking dog is even better. Some police feel a |
| perpetrate the crimeall of which will increase the | | | | barking dog is more effective than an burglar |
| offenders rick of being observed and reported to | | | | alarm system. As a simple alternative, a radio set |
| police. A collective cooperation of a community | | | | on a talk channel will make it appear like the |
| and neighborhood, like the Neighborhood Watch | | | | house is occupied. The offender will hear |
| program, does discourage local crime and drives | | | | conversation coming from inside the dwelling. |
| them to go elsewhere. The real objective is | | | | (reduce the opportunity and increase the rick of |
| "crime displacement" not "crime reduction" - Go | | | | being observed) |
| somewhere else, but Not Here. | | | | 7) Ladders - Remove all climbable objects like |
| Residential B&E offenders are usually not | | | | ladders, trellises, BBQ, picnic table, trees close to |
| sophisticated criminals. They look for the easiest | | | | the house. These could be used to gain access to |
| target possible like unlocked windows (basement | | | | second floor windows and balconies. Remove, |
| or first floor), unlocked front door and lifting patio | | | | lock-up, cut down as necessary. (increase the |
| doors out of their tracks. They could also | | | | difficulty and the time) |
| perform simple forceful entry through doors or | | | | 8) Telephone and Cable - shield and protect so |
| windows. Daytime (0900 to 1700 hours), when no | | | | they cannot be cut from outside your house. |
| one is at home, is the most common time for | | | | Monitored alarm systems typically require the use |
| Residential Break and Enter crimes. | | | | of the telephone or cable connection. (reduce the |
| Here are 10 simple ways to Target Harden your | | | | opportunity) |
| property's Exterior Grounds and Locks, which are | | | | 9) Parking and Garage - ensure your parking area |
| your first line of defense against intruders: | | | | and garage door(s) are visible to the street. Keep |
| 1) Trees and shrubs near any windows (front, | | | | your garage door(s) closed when you are not in |
| back yard or sides) - ensure trees and shrubs | | | | the front yard and lock your vehicles. Don't make |
| cannot conceal a potential intruder and allow the | | | | it easy for an offender to just walk into your |
| offender to work unnoticed on doors or windows. | | | | garage and steal what they want. (reduce the |
| Cut back trees and trim shrubs low from the top | | | | opportunity) |
| and trim them up from the ground. Remove | | | | 10) Locks - good locks (and chains where |
| them if they can conceal a person. (increase the | | | | appropriate) on your shed, gate, BBQ and picnic |
| rick of being observed) | | | | table. Ensure nothing can get moved. Locks on |
| 2) Sheds or any other out buildings - ensure no | | | | your doors and windows will receive more detailed |
| one can hide behind sheds or other buildings. | | | | discussion under a separate article on securing |
| (increase the rick of being observed) | | | | your Interior Property. (reduce the opportunity |
| 3) Hedge, Perimeter Bushes or Fence - does their | | | | and increase the difficulty) |
| height, density or privacy allow for offender | | | | Your home and property are both your castle |
| concealment. Again allowing offenders to work | | | | and your fortress. Be smart and keep your home |
| unobserved on rear windows and doors. Lock | | | | safe for your family and friends. With some |
| gates forcing the offender to scale over the | | | | common sense and the help of your local |
| fence. (increase the difficulty and the time) | | | | hardware store, you can keep the good inside |
| 4) Motion Detectors and Lights - use motion | | | | and clearly let the bad guys know, "Go |
| detectors on lighting so that when the lights come | | | | Somewhere Else"! |
| on the neighbors know something or someone is | | | | |