(UPDATE: The actions reported allegedly occurred outside of the Village. The Village states no reports have been filed. One of our many goals is reporting events and occurrences surrounding the community, and the important take-away of the alleged event is for individuals to be neighborly and vigilant.)
We urge the surrounding Continental community to please, please, please keep your car doors and homes locked at all times! On March 9, 2016 we warned of criminals breaking into vehicles in the Continental area, and tonight you should be warned that there have also been reports of alleged home break-in’s.
We ask that all members of the community be cautious and vigilant. If you see any signs of criminal activity, please call 911. If your home is broken into, we urge you to take the following steps:
- Don’t go into the house. If you’ve already walked in, leave immediately. The thieves may still be inside, and it’s not worth your life to find out.
- Call the police from your cell phone or from a neighbor’s house.
- Don’t touch anything. The thieves might have left fingerprints.
In addition, taking the following steps may help ward off potential home burgles:
- Keep windows and doors locked at all times.
- Get a home security system… or at least put a home security sign in your yard.
- Don’t leave garage doors open. Open garage doors can advertise your belongings by leaving them up even when you are home, so please keep them closed.
- Become friendly with your neighbors and be vigilant for one another.
- Keep valuables out of sight. Keep window blinds closed so lurkers can’t see in.
- Install motion sensor lights.
- Consider leaving a couple lights on when you are gone and a radio/TV on as well. If burglars think someone is home, chances are they will think twice before entering.
- Secure sliding doors by placing a plank of wood in the back grove of the door to prevent it from opening.
- Don’t leave spare keys out.
- Trim your bushes – overgrown shrubs offer lurkers hiding places in your yard that can help hide them from being noticed, offering them easier entry.
- If you are going out of town, don’t leave newspapers/bills/etc. pile up. Have a neighbor collect them so it doesn’t appear that no one is home.
- Think twice before posting your location to social media. Doing so may give criminals clear notification that no one is home.
Rebecca in Ohio says
Dogs are usually a good warning system. Especially if you have them trained. A pair of trained dogs are really the best deterrent for thieves.
Guns are good only if you have the upper hand. Especially if you’re professionally trained and you practice regularly.