Southern Shores PD Open Letter for Home Security

Property Owners & Citizens of the Town of Southern Shores,

In the past several months, Dare County has been the unwilling victim of several breaking and entering's. We, as a town, have not gone without our share of incidents. Since the beginning of 2009, we have had several houses broken into. During these thefts there have been items taken such as televisions, VCR 's, DVD 's, washers, dryers, and other house hold electronics. Luckily, there has not been anyone home while these crimes were being committed. These crimes are occurring mostly in seasonal rental homes which as you know, during the fall and winter months go for extended periods of time without anyone occupying them.

We, here at the Southern Shores Police Department, are investigating these property crimes using all available resources. You may have noticed a few more police cars patrolling your area. We have increased our patrols in the areas the crimes have been committed as well as all other areas. We are committed to insuring that you, your family, and your home's safety are paramount. However, we can not be everywhere at once, which is where you, the citizens, come into play.

One of the greatest sources of information available to the police is you the citizen. It is often just the average person that makes a phone call to the police to report something "that just doesn't look right" that leads to an arrest or gives us the "big break" we need. That is why we ask that you keep a vigilant eye out for you and your neighbor's safety. Here are a few things that you can do to help us out:

•  Look for things "that just doesn't look right"

•  Vehicles backed into or near homes that you believe should be empty.

•  People walking in and out of or around unoccupied houses.

•  Work type vehicles that have no markings.

•  People or vehicles in your neighborhood that you do not recognize.

•  Open doors and windows on homes that are unoccupied.

There are also things that you can do to insure your own safety. Here are a few things that you can do around your own home to improve the security and safety of you, your family, and your property:

•  Insure all windows and doors are locked both when you are in and out of your home.

•  All exterior doors should have a sturdy dead bolt lock installed into the frame of the door way.

•  All "extra" keys are kept with a trusted neighbor and not under a rock, doormat, or planter.

•  Shrubs and bushes around the houses are trimmed back so they will not block windows or doors.

•  There are no dark areas around the outside of the house, garage, or yard.

•  All outer doors have a bright light to illuminate visitors.

•  Use of photocell or motion sensitive lights.

•  The house number is clearly visible from the road way for all emergency responders to see.

•  Use of light timers inside the house when you are away from home.

•  Use of an alarm system/company.

•  Lock all vehicles when not in use.

•  Keep all outdoor valuables locked in the garage or shed when not in use.

•  Fire arms are stored unloaded and in a safe with gun locks in place.

•  Photograph and inscribe all valuable electronic and jewelry with your ID number.

•  Keep a log (2 or more copies) of all serial numbers to all valuable electronics or jewelry.

Remember, you are our most valuable source of information and there is nothing too small to report. In the end, it is the small things that add up to big results. If you need help or if you have seen or heard something that needs to be reported, please do so as soon as possible. PLEASE do not confront, follow, or try to apprehend anyone who you deem as suspicious . PLEASE allow us to do our jobs and keep you safe . Call 911 from your home or cell phone and give the dispatcher a good description of the person and or vehicle in question. We will respond to you as quickly as possible. The best help you can offer us is to be an attentive observer. The more information you can provide the more likely we will be able to deal with the situation accurately. Thank you for your time and all of your help. Remember, together we can achieve more.

(Go to home security checklist; this list will help you in making sure your home is safe and sound both when you are at or away from home.)

Please e-mail, telephone or fax us with your questions and comments on Town matters. The Town Hall Office is open Monday - Friday 8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. We are always happy to hear from you and try to respond to questions promptly .

*Links with .pdf documents are best viewed by using Acrobat Reader 6.0.  Visit their website at www.adobe.com for a free download.