a little light on the subject

The purpose of good exterior lighting is to allow you to see a threat or suspicious person lurking in your path or lingering near your property. If you can see a potential threat in advance then you at least have the choice and the chance to avoid it or to take action. Exterior lighting should be bright enough for you to see a distance of 100 feet, and it should help you to identify colors. Good lighting is definitely a deterrent to criminals because they don't want to be seen or identified.

that's right neighborly

Get to know your neighbors on each side of your home and the three directly across the street. Invite them into your home, communicate often, and establish trust. Ask them to watch out for your home when you are away and to report suspicious activity. Ask them to pick up your mail, newspapers, handbills, and to periodically inspect the outside or inside of your home to see that all is well. You might also invite them to occasionally park in your driveway to give the appearance of occupancy while you are away. Give your neighbor a key instead of hiding one outside. Experienced burglars know to look for hidden keys in planter boxes, under doormats and above the door ledge. This is a Neighborhood Watch technique called “territoriality,” which means that your neighbors will take ownership and responsibility for what occurs in your mini-neighborhood, deterring burglaries and other crimes. But for it to work, you must be willing to reciprocate.

the burglar bypass

Most residential burglaries occur during the daytime when people are away at work or school. Burglaries are committed most often by young males under 25 years of age who are looking for small, expensive items that can easily be converted to cash. In 70 percent of break-ins, burglars use some amount force to enter a dwelling, but they prefer to gain easy access through vulnerable door or window. Their tools aren’t sophisticated. They use ordinary household items such as screwdrivers, channel-lock pliers, small pry bars and small hammers to gain access. Burglars continue to flourish because police can only clear about 13 percent of all reported burglaries and rarely catch the thief in the act. That's why we have to be law enforcement's eyes and ears. Minimize your risk by making your home unattractive to thieves. Remember, burglars use a selection process, opting for unoccupied homes with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape routes. Make your home a hard target. Burglars will simply bypass your home if they determine that breaking into it will require more effort, skills or tools than they possess.

sensible strolling

Although you may feel safe while walking through the neighborhood, it's important to remember that armed robberies can occur anytime, anywhere. If you're walking alone, here are a few ways to protect yourself from armed robbers:
• Don't carry anything more valuable than you can afford to lose.
• Always leave all unnecessary credit cards at home.
• Walk on the side of the street nearest to oncoming traffic. If accosted by someone in a car, run in the direction opposite the way the car is headed.
• Beware of people who approach asking directions; keep a polite but safe distance.
• Consider carrying a second wallet containing a few $1 bills and expired credit cards, which are normally destroyed or discarded. If confronted at knife or gunpoint, give the suspect the second wallet and concentrate on a good physical description to help the police in making the arrest.
• Upon returning home, particularly after dark, do not linger at the entrance of your residence. Make a quick check for mail or newspapers, and enter immediately. If you feel something is strange, don't enter but go elsewhere and call 911.
• If you feel someone is following you, go to the nearest occupied residence and ask for assistance.
• If you are confronted with a dangerous situation, yelling "FIRE! FIRE!" instead of "Help!" will generally bring faster attention.

beware of dog

There's a difference between a watch dog, protection dog, guard dog and attack dog. In most cases, a watch dog may be best addition to your household to deter crime. Watch dogs are four-footed burglar alarms. They bark insistently and steadily when an entry is attempted and go to the entry point to identify it for you as they yap. I may drive my pack leaders crazy sometimes, but I know that I'm providing an important service. In a survey of more than 500 convicted property offenders, respondents were asked about the effectiveness of some deterrents compared to others. They said a barking dog inside the house was more of a deterrent than a weapon in the house, random police foot patrols, exterior lighting, Neighborhood Watch programs, deadbolt locks and timed interior lights. In fact, watch dogs were second only to monitored alarm systems and private security patrols in deterring crime.

pooch patrol

In a survey of prison inmates who had been convicted of burglary or other residential crimes, 65 percent of respondents said that dogs would scare them away from a residence. Burglars dislike three things: time, light and noise. Most thieves like to be into a house in less than 15 seconds; if it takes longer than that the thief probably won’t break in. Most thieves prefer to remain hidden or unobserved. A well-lighted house with trimmed trees and shrubs are harder targets. And most thieves hate noise. Even a small, alert dog (like me), while not intimidating to most people, is a problem to a burglar.

practical advice

Here are a few ways to make your home and auto a harder target for burglars: Be sure the outside doors of your home have strong deadbolt locks; keep spare keys with a trusted neighbor, not under a doormat or planter, on a ledge or in the mailbox; lock gates, garage doors, and shed doors after every use; illuminate or eliminate places an intruder might hide; set timers on lights when you’re away from home so it appears to be occupied; keep your bike and sports equipment inside the house when they’re not in use; and, by all means, avoid confrontations with burglars.

a pup's pep talk

Law enforcement and city officials are problem solvers. They want to work with us to prevent crime before it happens. By cooperating with them and keeping them informed, we can take back our streets and our neighborhood and make a real difference in Hampton Hills.

don't be a statistic

About six out of every 10 burglaries take place through unlocked doors or windows, and renters are burglarized 85 percent more than homeowners. You can reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime by installing and using sturdy locks on doors and windows, and by getting to know your neighbors.

watch the neighborhood

Three factors must be available to a criminal before a crime can occur: the desire to commit the crime, the ability to do it and the opportunity. Take away one, and the other two are useless. Potential criminals will be less likely to commit a crime if they think they are being watched or where they have fewer places to hide. That's why it's important to add lighting and trim bushes and trees. Potential criminals know when a neighborhood is cared for and are less likely to commit crimes there. That's why it's important to maintain your yard and your home by disposing of trash, tending to the landscaping, replacing broken windows and burnt-out lights. Bright, clean areas help keep crime away. Let's make it clear that we not only care for Hampton Hills, but that we also keep watch over our neighborhood.

bite the bullet

A bullet that's shot up will come down. We can curb reckless gunfire in our neighborhood by getting involved. Many people ignore gunshots because they fear retaliation by the lawbreakers or rejection by the police. It's important that we contact police each and every time random gunfire occurs in Hampton Hills. By encouraging police and prosecutors to more vigorously investigate and prosecute offenders, we will ultimately deter shooters, who fret little about the dangers and even less about the potential of getting busted.

baffle the burglars

Burglars focus on convenience, concealment and camouflage. Illuminate or eliminate places an intruder might hide: the spaces between trees or shrubbery, stairwells, alleys, hallways and entryways.

light the night

You may have noticed me and my pack walking through our neighborhood early every morning, before dawn, or in the evening, after dusk. Hampton Hills has few streetlights, and some areas are very dark. Consider leaving your porch or pole light illuminated through the night. Criminals are less likely to hang around well-lighted neighborhoods.

no daytime drama!

Because the majority of break-ins occur during the day, it's especially important that your home look lived in at all times. Before leaving for the day, turn down the ringer on your house telephone. This will prevent a burglar from calling your home from a cell phone and listening for the sound of a ringing phone in the background. Keep your garage door shut at all times other than when it's being used. And keep a radio or TV set playing.

neighbors in need

Hampton Hills has many older residents, some of whom have lived in the neighborhood for most of their lives. Fear can — and frequently does — imprison older people in their homes. Even a minor crime, such as vandalism or petty theft, can cause major emotional, physical and financial trauma for an older person, increasing their fear and isolation. Yet if they know their neighbors, older people are not as afraid of crime and are more willing to help prevent it.

park and hide

When you or a visitor parks a car on the street in front of your house or in your driveway, don't make the car an easy target for thieves. Never leave valuables in plain view, even if the car is locked. Place them in the trunk or at least out of sight.

graffiti: the grime crime

Graffiti can be divided into two types: graffiti done by taggers and graffiti done by street gangs.

Even though taggers and street gangs both use graffiti as an illegal form of communication, their intent is different. Taggers see graffiti as an art form, a game, or a friendly contest. Street gangs use graffiti to mark areas they frequent and to issue threats to their enemies.

NEVER confront or challenge someone who is tagging something. Gang members are often armed and may assault a challenger even if they are not. Even taggers may be armed. If possible, obtain an accurate description of the individuals, graffiti, vehicle and license plate number so that the information may be given to law enforcement.

ALWAYS paint over graffiti immediately. Research shows that areas that are immediately painted over are much less likely to be "hit" again. Graffiti that is left up becomes a status symbol.

intrusion confusion

At night, if you think you hear someone breaking into your home, leave safely if you can, then call 911. If you can't leave, lock yourself in a room with a phone and call 911. If an intruder is in your room, pretend you are asleep. Burglars do more than steal. They also commit rapes, robberies and assaults if they pick a home that is occupied.

when a stranger calls

If a stranger comes to the door, beware! Criminals sometimes pose as couriers delivering packages or as handymen offering some type of home service. Ask for identification and don't provide any information about you or your neighbors that could open the door to crime.