Tucson police release burglary prevention tips for holidays
The Tucson Police Department released a list of burglaryreminders to help people remain of aware of crime during theholidays.
According to the police department, thefts and burglariesincrease during the holidays due to people leaving their homes forlong periods of time as they celebrate with friends and family.
The police department encourages people to take the followingsteps to secure their homes and belongings:
• Keep all doors and windows closed and securely fastened. Anopen window or door is an open invitation for burglars, and hasbeen a point of entry in a number of recent burglaries inTucson.
• Doors should have deadbolt locks with a one-inch throw andreinforced strike plate with three-inch screws. All windows shouldhave window locks.
Sliding glass doors should have a metal rod or piece of woodendowel in the track, and vertical bolts to prevent lifting thedoor.
• if you have an attached garage, always lock the door thatleads into the house. Don’t rely on your automatic garage doormechanism for security. In addition, consider updating your olderautomatic opener to include one with enhanced securityfeatures.
Don’t get in the habit of leaving your garage vehicle-bay dooropen when you are home and only closing it at night.
Thieves need just seconds to take valuables from an opengarage.
• Dog and cat doors or flaps are frequently used by burglars forgaining entry. if you must have a pet-access door, invest in onethat has security features, and secure it if you will be away fromhome for an extended period.
• Keep the perimeter of your home well lighted. Low-voltagelighting is relatively inexpensive.
• create the illusion that you are home through the use oftimers on lights, radios and TV’s.
• Keep shrubbery trimmed away from entrances and walkways. Theyprovide concealment for burglars
