| Be sure before you open your door |
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By: LISA MARCHESONI, Senior Writer
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2010 7:58 am
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When he heard a knock at his door, an Eagleville senior citizen naturally opened it, only to be assaulted by robbers who clobbered him, beat him and his wife and robbed them Dec. 27.
While the natural tendency is to open the door, the sheriff’s Crime Prevention Unit said everyone, especially senior citizens, should take precautions to prevent home invasions since robberies account for 38 percent of violent crimes against senior citizens.
Deputy Jimmy Cassidy said residents don’t have to open their doors to knocks.
“See who’s out there before you open the door by looking through a peephole or window,” Cassidy said. “Ask who’s out there before opening the door.”
Keep the door locked and a telephone in hand to call the sheriff’s office for help.
“Put as many barriers between you as you can,” Cassidy said.
Be extremely cautious, Cassidy recommended. Residents who feel uncomfortable about someone at their door may call the sheriff’s office at 898-7770 and ask a deputy to check their visitors.
Deputy Greg Dotson recommended not opening the door unless a resident expects company.
People who don’t have peepholes may get on installed for about $40 through a home improvement or hardware store.
Also, people might want to install motion detector lights to turn on only when someone approaches the home.
“Lighting is the single greatest deterrent to crime,” Cassidy said.
Sgt. James Harrell said because of burglaries and the potential for fire, “it’s not a good idea to keep large sums of cash in your house.”
If someone tries to enter a home without permission, the homeowner should immediately call 911. They may lock themselves in a room for safety.
“Take reasonable efforts to protect yourself as a homeowner,” Harrell said.
Residents who return home and find a door ajar should not enter their home but call 911 on a cell phone or from a neighbor’s home. Try to watch the home. If a burglar tries to leave, the resident may give responding deputies a description of the suspect or suspects and their getaway car. A neighbor watching too will provide a better description of the suspects.
Prevention
Neighbors may want to form a Neighborhood Watch program where they watch each other’s property and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately. People interested in the program may call Cassidy at 904-3019 to set up a Neighborhood Watch community meeting.
The Neighborhood Watch program instructs residents to watch for suspicious people and vehicles in the area, Harrell said. For example, neighbors will learn each other’s schedules of work and school and vehicles parked in their driveway.
“As a nosy neighbor, you’ll know if a white pickup is not supposed to be parked at your neighbor’s home,” Harrell said. “It’s your responsibility to call the sheriff’s office and stop a potential break-in.”
More than 80 county neighborhoods have organized a Neighborhood Watch program.
Dotson said people may buy equipment to protect their home.
For example, residents might want to install a door security bar for about $20 or a door alarm with flashing lights and an audible alarm for $29 to $109 from a hardware or home improvement stores.
Residents may also get a copy of the “Senior Safe” magazine dealing with senior adult safety and crime prevention at the sheriff’s office. The magazine notes 60 percent of residential burglaries occur during the day.
A story about home security recommends:
• Buy doors that are metal, metal-clad or solid wood. Doors should always be locked.
• Use double cylinder deadbolts requiring a key to open the door from the inside.
• Install metal bars for sliding glass doors.
• Do not depend on chain locks because the device can be forced open.
For more information, call the Crime Prevention Unit at 904-3019.
Lisa Marchesoni may be reached at 869-0814 or at lmarchesoni@murfreesboropost.com. |
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