Altadena Crime is Up: Prevent Burglary With These Tips

The first six months of 2012 brought increased crime to Altadena, compared to the first half of 2011. Overall, crime is up 17.6-percent, and there has been a large increase in armed robbery, burglary, theft and property crime.

The has released the following tips on how to deter burglars and protect yourself:

Personal Information:

• Keep valuables in a safe deposit box
• Use a locking mailbox
• Complete Operation ID (which involves marking your property and keeping a running list so law enforcement will be able to identify it) and display proof on your windows.

Dealing With Strangers:

• Never let strangers enter your home
• Verify workers by ID cards and calling their employer
• Never give keys to workers
• Never leave notes for anyone on the door

While on Vacation:

• Hire a house sitter
• Ask neighbors to help with your trash bins and newspaper
• Install an approved and monitored residential alarm system
• Park a neighbor’s car in your driveway
• Use timers on indoor lights to give the impression you are home
• Deliver merchandise to a neighbor’s house instead of yours
• Request the LASD to perform Vacation Home Checks

Bright Ideas:

• Install lights by all exterior doors. Use lights at night.
• Install outside light fixtures where bulbs are hard to reach
• Illuminate house numbers for quick emergency services response
• Trim shrubs back from doors and windows... don’t give burglars places to hide.

Vehicle Smarts:

• Close the garage door and cover windows so no one can see inside
• Hide the garage door opener from open view in your car

Doors and Windows:

• Change the locks when moving to a new residence
• Always lock your doors and windows
• Give your neighbor the spare key and don’t hide it outside
• Use solid core or metal exterior doors
• Use dead bolt door locks on exterior doors and double cylinder dead bolt locks if glass is within three feet of the lock
• Add auxiliary track-type locks, removable drop bars, wooden dowels, or pinning devices to windows and sliding glass doors
• Install peepholes on doors with 160-degree views
• Upgrade locks to defeat bump keying

Landscaping:

• Trim tree branches seven feet off the ground
• Prince shrubs to under three feet from the ground
• Use motion sensors and photocells on exterior floodlights

Make Safety a Habit:

• Lock your home at all times
• Create a Crime/Neighborhood Watch Group