|
|
|
Independence, MO —
In spite of the fact that reported burglaries in the United States have dropped in recent years, not every locality has experienced that reduction.
Thanks in large measure to the intelligence based policing philosophy of the Independence Police Department, burglaries have dropped slightly since 2009. However, the time period of February to May 2011, when compared to the same time period in 2012, shows that burglaries in Independence have increased by 12 percent.
It is believed that at least a part of this increase can be attributed to the milder weather and an early spring that brought warmer temperatures much sooner than usual. As a consequence, residents apparently had a tendency to open their house windows for ventilation and comfort earlier in the season. Fresh air and saving money on home heating bills are wonderful things, but based upon the investigations of residential burglaries since the first of April this year, more than one third of the burglary entries were made through open or unlocked windows.
Some studies have shown that many burglaries are crimes of opportunity where the suspect enters through an open or unlocked door or window. This would suggest that a substantial number of burglaries in Independence could have been prevented, had the residents remembered to close and lock the windows before leaving home.
According to the national Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, approximately 60 percent of reported burglaries in the United States occur during the daytime when houses are more likely to be unoccupied. People are at work, visiting elsewhere, or shopping, and kids are probably in school.
Most burglars do not target occupied houses; instead, they tend to carefully avoid them. Some studies show burglars will routinely ring the doorbell of a house to verify it is unoccupied. In addition, studies also show that the vulnerability of a house determines how likely a burglar is to select it as a target. Houses with weak entry points such as open windows, unlocked doors, weak and worn window sills and door frames or poor building materials are very attractive to burglars. In approximately two-thirds of all reported burglaries in the United States, including residence and commercial buildings, the offenders forced entry. In approximately one-third of U.S. burglaries, offenders did not need to force entry. They simply entered through unsecured windows and doors, including sliding glass doors.
There are several ways a person can reduce the chances of having their home burglarized. Some of the steps that can be taken include securing the residence before leaving it. Leaving a home unsecured is as careless and attractive to thieves as leaving a parked car unlocked and unattended with the motor running.
Install a burglar alarm. Trim bushes and hedges to reduce hiding places for burglars and improve visibility for witnesses. Organize a Neighborhood Watch group in your neighborhood.
For more information on how to protect your home, call the Independence Police Crime Prevention Office at 816-325-7643.
In spite of the fact that reported burglaries in the United States have dropped in recent years, not every locality has experienced that reduction.
Thanks in large measure to the intelligence based policing philosophy of the Independence Police Department, burglaries have dropped slightly since 2009. However, the time period of February to May 2011, when compared to the same time period in 2012, shows that burglaries in Independence have increased by 12 percent.
It is believed that at least a part of this increase can be attributed to the milder weather and an early spring that brought warmer temperatures much sooner than usual. As a consequence, residents apparently had a tendency to open their house windows for ventilation and comfort earlier in the season. Fresh air and saving money on home heating bills are wonderful things, but based upon the investigations of residential burglaries since the first of April this year, more than one third of the burglary entries were made through open or unlocked windows.
Some studies have shown that many burglaries are crimes of opportunity where the suspect enters through an open or unlocked door or window. This would suggest that a substantial number of burglaries in Independence could have been prevented, had the residents remembered to close and lock the windows before leaving home.
According to the national Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, approximately 60 percent of reported burglaries in the United States occur during the daytime when houses are more likely to be unoccupied. People are at work, visiting elsewhere, or shopping, and kids are probably in school.
Most burglars do not target occupied houses; instead, they tend to carefully avoid them. Some studies show burglars will routinely ring the doorbell of a house to verify it is unoccupied. In addition, studies also show that the vulnerability of a house determines how likely a burglar is to select it as a target. Houses with weak entry points such as open windows, unlocked doors, weak and worn window sills and door frames or poor building materials are very attractive to burglars. In approximately two-thirds of all reported burglaries in the United States, including residence and commercial buildings, the offenders forced entry. In approximately one-third of U.S. burglaries, offenders did not need to force entry. They simply entered through unsecured windows and doors, including sliding glass doors.
There are several ways a person can reduce the chances of having their home burglarized. Some of the steps that can be taken include securing the residence before leaving it. Leaving a home unsecured is as careless and attractive to thieves as leaving a parked car unlocked and unattended with the motor running.
Install a burglar alarm. Trim bushes and hedges to reduce hiding places for burglars and improve visibility for witnesses. Organize a Neighborhood Watch group in your neighborhood.
For more information on how to protect your home, call the Independence Police Crime Prevention Office at 816-325-7643.
