Monroe Police: Unlocked doors and windows invite burglaries

MONROE — Monroe Village Police report that over the course of the last three weeks officers have been investigating one commercial burglary and three residential burglaries.

In an e-mail advisory from Det. James Frankild, all of the residential burglaries occurred during the daytime, which is when most home burglaries take place. Some of the residences burglarized in Monroe were entered through unlocked doors and windows, and one had an alarm system which was not activated. All homes had cash and jewelry stolen from them.

Surrounding police agencies have also been investigating residential burglaries in their jurisdictions as well.

According to Frankild, residential burglaries may seem random in occurrence, but they actually involve a selection process. “A burglar usually strikes in the daytime, when most people are not at home, they look for a house that is easy to get in to, such as having open windows or an unlocked door, and a great deal of cover from other homes and the street,” the detective said.

“The trend now in residential burglaries is burglars entering a neighborhood where they will select a home, and knock on the front door,” Frankild said. “If there is no answer and it appears that no one is home they proceed to burglarize the home quickly and quietly. If someone answers the door on the home, they will ask questions such as saying they live a few streets away and are looking for a lost dog, or are looking for a friend that lives in the neighborhood, or some other seemingly innocent question. Once they see that someone is home they will leave and select a new target house.”

‘Harden the target’ Monroe police said there are ways to “harden the target” or protect your home:

First, always lock all doors and windows when you are not at home, even for short periods of time.

If you have an alarm system use it each and every time you leave your house unoccupied.

Install motion lights around the home at a height that a burglar can’t simply unscrew the bulbs or break them out with a stick.

Make it appear that someone is always home, by keeping on a radio during the day, and by using timers on lights inside the home to give the appearance that someone is home during the evening.

The practice of leaving a porch light on all day is a dead giveaway that you are not at home.

Purchase a safe, store all valuables in the safe, and keep the safe in a place that is away from the master bedroom, which is usually the first room burglars’ target. If the safe is capable of being carried out of the residence, secure it to the floor or wall where it is located.

“We are asking people who are home during the day to report any suspicious people or vehicles immediately to the police,” Frankild said. “If someone comes to your home and poses a question similar to the ones above, after they leave home call the police. People know their neighborhoods and they know what doesn’t seem right. If it doesn’t seem right call the police.

Anyone who has any information on the recent burglaries can call Monroe Police at 782-8644.