The facts about residential burglary

• More than six million residential burglaries occur every year in this country. That's one every ten seconds!

• Nearly half of these burglaries are committed without force - that is, through UNLOCKED doors and windows!

Most of these burglaries could be prevented

• Always lock your doors and windows even when leaving for "just a minute."

Never leave a house key available:

• Under a doormat
• In a flower pot
• On the ledge of the door

  These are the first places a burglar will look.

A very large portion of our burglaries occur with the suspects walking into your homes and garages through wide open doors, particularly garage doors in broad daylight! Popular targets include:

• Bicycles
• Golf Clubs
• Wallets, purses, brief cases and cell phones from cars in the garage.

Please close your garage doors!

If you would like to make life even harder for crooks - Remember the following tips:

• Exterior doors should have "dead bolt" locks with a 1 inch strong metal bar extending into the door frame.

• Sliding doors and windows should all have "ventilation" locks as well as auxiliary locks to bolster security.

• Be sure to include good locks for garage, patio or other doors that lead out through storage areas or a spare room.

Going out?

• Lock all doors and windows.
• Use timers so that lights, radio, TV, go on and off throughout the house to indicate someone is home.
• For longer trips be sure to stop mail and newspaper delivery or have a neighbor collect them daily.
• IN SHORT - MAKE YOUR HOME LOOK "LIVED IN".

Remember, if you come home and see a broken window or a jimmied door, don't go in. Confronting a burglar can be dangerous. Phone the police immediately - 9-1-1.

Other tips

• Install a wide-angle lens viewer in the front door. Never open the door without knowing who is there.
• Consider alarm systems or trained security dogs for additional protection.
• Whenever you move to a new home, have the locks changed.

"Don't let 'em knock your block off!"

• Want to know the best crime prevention device ever invented? A GOOD NEIGHBOR!
• Law enforcement officers can't be everywhere at once, but you and your neighbors can.
• You're the ones who really know what's going on in the neighborhood.
• Put that neighborhood know-how to work. It's simple: just use your eyes and ears - and then your telephone.
• If you spot something suspicious, call the police immediately.
• Don't try to stop a criminal yourself- it can be dangerous.
• Neighbors working together in cooperation with law enforcement make one of the best crime fighting teams around.
• For more information on how to start your own NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUP, contact your The Highland Park Police Department Crime Prevention at (847) 926-1122.