Seth Little thought the valuables in his Northeast Tacoma house were safe from burglars – until two weeks ago.
He has a security system that sounds an alarm if a burglar enters through exterior doors. A handsome wooden fence completely surrounds his corner house. He locks jewelry and cash in a heavy-duty, 4-foot-tall gun safe.
Yet despite all of his precautions, one or more thieves slipped into his home during daylight while he and his wife, Melody, were at work Nov. 5. The burglar crawled through a window, took a camcorder with the last footage of Melody’s recently deceased father and broke into their safe, stealing the life savings of Seth’s father. His dad didn’t believe in banks.
“I thought I was on top of my game,” said Little, 32. “Even though I felt secure I wasn’t. I had more precautions than most people and still got whacked.”
A new City of Tacoma crime prevention program aims to help people from sharing Little’s fate.
At homeowners’ request, crime prevention specialists and trained volunteers who’ve undergone criminal background checks visit homes in Tacoma, walk through the property and recommend ways to make them more secure by incorporating environmental design principles. The service, launched in September, is part of the Tacoma CARES Program, a comprehensive initiative to reduce crime and clean up neighborhoods.
All Tacoma residents have to do is set up an appointment; it’s free.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department recently started a similar program, as well, for residents in unincorporated Pierce County. Volunteers who conduct the home security audits have undergone criminal background checks and received training from the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission, said Judi Holley, the sheriff’s crime prevention coordinator.
“We had a rash of burglaries and realized we needed to help people prepare their homes so they’re not victims,” Holley said. Last summer, thieves were stealing Wii game consoles and purses that residents left in plain view of windows when they were gone. Sometimes people were home but didn’t notice burglars slipping through open windows and doors.
Renters and homeowners alike need the information. “Crime prevention is 80 percent information and education and 20 percent instinct,” Holley said. “If you don’t know what you’re doing to attract criminals, your instincts won’t be very good.”
The county and Tacoma programs emphasize low-cost steps that residents can do themselves.
“You can do a whole lot of home security for under $20,” said Audrey Hornbuckle, coordinator of Tacoma’s Crime Free Programs. “There’s a lot you can do with a drill and bag of screws.”
Though no place is impenetrable, homes can be made secure enough to cause a burglar to bypass the house in favor of an easier target or made so tough to enter that breaking in will require noise and a chunk of time.
And as crime prevention specialists say, a burglar’s three worst enemies are light, time and noise.
Last week, Hornbuckle and Tacoma Police community liaison officer Helen Stieben visited Seth Little’s house for a security audit. They peered through windows, inspected doors, walked through the home and looked at its layout in relation to the street.
Stieben mentioned Northeast Tacoma has been plagued by break-ins pulled off by teens trying to get money to buy OxyContin.
Hornbuckle was pleased to see gravel as landscaping next to the house; it crunches when people step on it, alerting residents someone is outside. But she showed Little how easy it was to lift sliding windows from their frame – and how to prevent that by installing screws or lowering the track at the top of window frames. She advised installing a deadbolt and peephole in the door between the garage and house. Planting thorny plants such as roses, holly or Oregon grape under windows could help deter crooks.
They noted that since the house has the tall wooden fence, it could shield burglars from the view of neighbors; Little said that since the burglary, he’s been leaving a gate open to allow neighbors and passers-by to see inside the yard.
Little said he appreciated the recommendations. He’s been obsessed with how to make the house more secure ever since the burglary. He and his wife worry thieves will return.
“I couldn’t sleep the first night. There’s such a sense of violation to your privacy. Then there’s the guilt of losing my dad’s savings,” Little said. His insurance didn’t cover the theft of cash.
The same day as the security survey, Little’s security company installed movement sensors on his home’s windows and a light that will flash above his garage door during a break-in. Little said when he got the system two years ago he had sensors installed only on the doors because buying the hardware and paying for installation would have cost at least $230 for each of the seven windows.
After the burglary, he also called the business in King County that sold him his safe. The company said he probably hadn’t turned the dial enough times to clear the combination, allowing the burglar to open the safe with a simple turn.
“Hindsight is 20/20,” he said with a sigh.
Doug Jones, general manager at Robblees Total Security in Tacoma, told The News Tribune that while dial locks vary, people can generally clear the safe combination by closing the safe door, locking the handle and turning the dial at least two turns counterclockwise.
Little hopes other people will benefit from his nightmare.
“We want to be proactive and teach people these things so this won’t happen to them,” he said. “I learned a very expensive lesson.”
Debby Abe: 253-597-8694
1. High-efficiency lights with a photo cell or timer discourage unwelcome guests from approaching the walkway or front door.
2. To prevent thieves from lifting or opening sliding windows or sliding doors, insert flathead screws in the upper track of frames. Install removable pins in frames to hold windows and doors in place. Wedge security bars or wooden dowels in track of frames.
3. Secure exterior doors with all-metal deadbolt locks. Single-cylinder deadbolts are safest for homes. The deadbolt throw (the lock’s moveable piece) should go at least 1 inch into the door frame. Use 3- or 4-inch wood screws to affix strike plate.
4. Install security lights with a motion or photo cell detector to light the side and rear of the house. Post “beware” decals if you have an alarm system or have inventoried belongings.
5. Chain link or transparent fencing, or wood fences raised 10 inches above ground, help eliminate hiding places for burglars.
6. Exterior doors should be metal or solid-core wood. Glass in or next to doors should be strengthened with unbreakable plastic material or security film.
7. Securely lock garage doors. Install a solid wood or metal door, peephole and deadbolt, between the house and attached garage for security and fire safety.
8. Thieves know they might not get inside a home when occupants can see them before opening the door. If doors don’t have windows, install a peephole with a wide angle 180-degree lens, one at adult level and one at child height.
9. Metal grills across window frames prevent basement break-ins. Grills should have a quick-release mechanism on the interior side to allow for easy exit during a fire.
10. Plants shouldn’t obscure windows or provide hiding spots. Trim shrubs below window sill level. Clear trees of limbs from the ground up to 7 feet.
TIPS TO THWART THIEVES
Burglars abhor light, don’t want to make noise and like quick getaways. Practice these home security tips that incorporate thieves’ unfavorite things.
Noisy landscaping: Use gravel or lava rock instead of beauty bark next to the house. People walking on the gravel make a crunching noise, alerting residents that someone is on the property.
Lighting: Keep lights on all night on the porch and around the garage. Inside the house, leave on a hallway light.
Make it look like someone is home, even when you’re gone: Use timers to turn lights on and off at different times. Leave a radio on and tuned to a news channel or talk show. Remember, most residential burglars strike during the day on weekdays.
“People want to steal your stuff and don’t want to get caught. They won’t come in at 1 in the morning when you’re asleep,” Hornbuckle said.
Alarm systems: Consider individual circumstances in deciding whether to buy one. Retirees and others who are home most of the time may not need one, while people who consistently leave and return at the same time might. Older models of motion-detecting alarms may not be good at differentiating between people and cats. Some jurisdictions charge a false alarm fee if police go to a residence where an alarm was accidentally set. In Tacoma, the charge is $60.
“Everyone has to do their own homework because every location is different,” said Judi Holley, crime prevention coordinator for the Pierce County Sheriff. “Someone in Orting might want a different system than someone in South Hill.”
Strangers at the door: Adults are the worst offenders when it comes to answering the door to strangers, Hornbuckle says. Don’t open the door to strangers, not even salesmen or women, unless you want to buy something. Don’t be afraid of shouting through the closed door to say you’re not interested.
Theft for the holidays: Don’t leave the cardboard box for the 50-inch plasma screen TV or the container for any other large appliance or electronics outside your home. It advertises the newest toy to steal in your house.
Track your stuff: Keep an inventory of your property, especially electronics. List serial numbers, model numbers and brands. Take a photo of items, and keep it in a safe place. If stolen belongings are recovered, the ability to prove ownership improves chances of getting them back, Hornbuckle says.
Addresses: Make sure address numbers are at least 5 or 6 inches tall and painted a contrasting color to show up on your house or apartment. If your home faces an alley, post your address on the alley side, too. Emergency response can be delayed if your address isn’t visible.
Think like a crook: Don’t leave your purse and valuables unattended on the counter or table, even when you’re at home, advises Holley. Summertime thieves have been known to walk through open doors or slip through windows and steal Wii game consoles and other prized belongings. When you’re gone, put the items out of sight and close blinds and curtains, and lock windows and doors.
Contact your local police or sheriff’s department to see if it offers home security audits or advice on preventing burglaries. Here are several departments with resources.
Lakewood Lakewood Police community service officers will speak to community groups about crime prevention, and conduct residential security surveys for residents in the City of Lakewood. For information, call the police department at 253-830-5000 weekdays and ask for the community service officer for your police district.
Tacoma – For prevention tips or to schedule a home security assessment, call Audrey Hornbuckle, coordinator of Tacoma’s Crime Free Programs, at 253-591-5048. Assessments from the city’s “Residential Security Training and Outreach” team are free, but available only to residents in the City of Tacoma.
Olympia – The city doesn’t offer individual home security assessments but will provide a crime prevention expert to speak about home security to community groups. Contact Amy Stull with the Olympia Police Department at 360-753-8049.
Unincorporated Pierce County: For prevention tips or to schedule a home security audit with trained volunteers, call Judi Holley, crime prevention coordinator for the Pierce County Sheriff, at 253-798-3624. Audits are performed only for residents in unincorporated Pierce County, including Spanaway, Parkland, Ashford, Key Peninsula, and South Hill.
Lacey – Lacey police don’t offer individual home security assessments, but can provide that information to block watch and community groups in Lacey. For information, contact Crime Prevention Officer Miguel Stansberry at 360-459-4333 or supportservices@ci.lacey.wa.us.
University Place – The city doesn’t offer individual home security assessments but will provide a crime prevention expert to speak about home security to community groups. Contact Jennifer Hales, University Place Police public safety manager, at 253-798-3141.
Debby Abe, The News Tribune
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