Crime & Safety
Thieves are Breaking into Garages in Town; Dixon Police Want You To Know These Tips
Burglars can gain access to your garage in less than 10 seconds. There has been a spike in break-ins this year.
Dixon has seen a spike in residential burglaries this year.
In the first six months of 2012, burglaries have jumped from 31 to 47, compared to the same period last year.
The burglars are gaining entry through the garage roll updoors by sliding a metal coat hanger between the top of your garage door and the door trim. They then hook on to the garage door opener emergency release latch or cord and disengage it. This allows the burglar to lift the door open and enter the garage. The process takes less the 10 seconds and once the garage door is closed, the emergency latch reengages and the door functions normally.
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Dixon has had three burglaries of this type in the past four weeks in different areas of the city, according to the Dixon Police Department. They say there are a couple of easy, inexpensive ways to lessen you chance of becoming a victim.
The first is to use a small cable tie to secure the emergency latch. With a small enough cable tie you will be able to pull on the emergency cord, which will break the cable tie and disengage the emergency latch. This will make it much more difficult for a burglar to release the latch and enter the residence. You should always keep a pair of scissors or wire cutters nearby in case you need to cut the cable ties (see photos and for visual explanation).
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The second way is to attach a thin piece of wood to the arm of the opener with U bolts. This makes it much harder for a burglar to access the emergency pull cord or latch. If you do not feelcomfortable altering the emergency latch as shown above, this might be the option for you.
Dixon Police Department also offers these Tips for Crime Prevention:
• Lock your vehicle even though it is in your garage.
• Never leave vehicle keys or valuables in your car while in the garage.
• Lock doors and windows: Install quality locks on all of your doors. Add additional locks or latches to sliding glass doors and windows. Most importantly, lock all your doors and windows every time you leave your residence.• Lighting: Install quality lighting at every entrance to your residence including back and side doors. Motion activated lights are an excellent deterrent.
• Landscaping: Make sure there are no dark or concealed areas around your home. Trimbushes and trees that can block the view from the street or neighbor’s house.
• Know your neighbors: Observant neighbors can often be the best defense against burglary. Get to know your neighbors. Ask neighbors to keep an eye for your property and offer to do the same for them.Consider purchasing an alarm for your residence: As with autos, criminals will typically
• Choose the easiest target and will often choose a residence without an alarm then aresidence that has one.
• Get involved with Neighborhood Watch: Contact Sgt. Elaine Perry for information on getting involved in neighborhood watch in your neighborhood.
Sgt. Perry can bereached at 707-678-7070 or at Eperry@ci.dixon.a.us
In addition to the above crime prevention tips, the Dixon Police Department ask that you report any and all suspicious activity to the police department. Call 707-678-7080 to report any suspicious activity. Call 911 if you have an emergency.
