Sheriff's Office

Home Invasion and Burglary

Make a Stand Against Home Invasion & Burglary

Any person who forcibly and unlawfully enters your home, whether or not it’s occupied, poses a serious threat to the safety of your family, as well as your property.

There are a number of steps residents can take to help protect themselves. Here are a few simple suggestions that will help deter a potential thief from targeting your home:

• Start by walking around your property looking for possible ways in which an intruder might get in. Check to make sure window latches and door locks are working properly. Keep them closed and locked at all times.
• Keep curtains closed and blinds shut.
• Also look for places near entry points where an intruder might hide and wait for an opportunity to enter through an open door. Ideally, doors should not have large sections of glass that could easily be broken, giving access to an interior door handle or locks.
• Keep the exterior of your property well lit at night. Without the cover of darkness, home invasion becomes much more risky, and less attractive, for a would-be thief.
• Visibly post “No Trespassing” and/or “No Soliciting” signs on your property.
• Stay in communication with your neighbors. Communication among residents provides extra security to your neighborhood. Any information you can share is crucial to law enforcement working to prevent crime in your community.

Before you decide to open your door…

It’s not uncommon for thieves to try to trick someone into becoming a victim. Consider these suggestions before you unlock a door, and remember you are not obligated to open your door for any person who is unknown to you and uninvited to your home:

• If you don’t have peepholes, install and use them.
• Always talk to unknown persons through a locked door.
• Ask for identification and verify by calling the business listed on the identification.
• If you have a cordless or cellular phone, keep it handy to summon help in an emergency.
• If someone claims to be in distress and in need of assistance, tell them you are calling law enforcement to
• respond.
• Teach your children, parents, babysitter and anyone else who may be responsible for opening your door about the
• risks and proper precautions.
• Do NOT open the door until you truly feel it is safe.
• If you feel uncomfortable with a situation, call 911.