Ridgewood Police Issue Residential Burglary Alert and Remind Residents on Summer Vacation Precautions
June 25,2014
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood police Department responded to a home on Van Emburgh Ave near Route 17 on Tuesday 6/24/14. Entry was made to the home between the hours of 10:30am and 5:30pm by removing the first floor window air conditioner and climbing through the window. We remind our residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the Ridgewood Police Department. If you have a first floor window air conditioner it is a good idea to make sure it’s properly secured. Anyone with information please contact the Ridgewood Police Detective Bureau 201-251-4537.
With summer vacations approaching we remind residents to take some basic steps to prevent your home from becoming the target of a burglary.
• Have a neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers.
• During an extended vacation, make arrangements to have someone mow your lawn or trim your bushes.
• Leave lights on automatic timers.
• Notify the Ridgewood Police Department that you will be away.
• Ask a neighbor or friend to stop by your house periodically; have them open and close blinds, turn on different lights.
• Let your neighbors know when you are leaving and when you plan to return home and if you are expecting anybody at your house while you are away.
• Burglars want easy access to your home. Make sure all trees and shrubs are trimmed near all doors and windows where intruders might hide. Add exterior lights and consider lights that are activated by motion sensors.
• Burglars like to work quickly, so try to slow down their path into and around the house. You can accomplish this with:
1. deadbolt locks
2. window locks
3. bars placed in the tracks or track locks on all sliding glass doors and windows (if they would not impede your escape in an emergency)
4. locks on all doors and windows
• Don’t place the fact you are gone on your telephone answering machine.
• Don’t broadcast the fact that you’ll be away on Twitter, Facebook, craigslist, in your blog or anywhere else on the Internet.
• Don’t hide your keys on your property.
• A nosy neighbor is a burglar’s worst enemy. Get to know your neighbors and work out an arrangement to watch each other’s houses. Let them know when you will be gone and whether any deliveries are expected during your absence.
• Store jewelry and other valuables in a safe hiding place, such as a safety deposit box.
Go through each room and write down a list of possessions, including serial numbers. Take pictures of your valuables and keep them in a safe place or with a friend or relative. This will help in the event of a burglary.
If you would like a crime prevention survey of your home, contact the Ridgewood Police Department community Policing unit.
201-652-3900
Lt.Todd Harris [email protected]
Lt.Glenn Ender [email protected]
