Historical December 1990 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Some crimes are seasonal.
We can predict when the numbers of burglaries will increase. Any guess? Well, consider for a moment that burglary is a crime of opportunity. Burglars don’t like to be discovered as they move very fast in and out with the goods. One opportunity that is provided for them is the classic “end of the summer vacation” when many neighborhoods vacate. There’s no one there to watch and report! August becomes the burglary peak.
But there is a second peak that is soon approaching—December. Again there is a dramatic loss of people to vacations, but also to Christmas shopping, concerts, and holiday gatherings.
The early darkness adds to the opportunity. By the time many of us finally reach home our absence has been highlighted by the darkness of our houses. Dusk to dawn sensors and timers on lights are both simple and inexpensive deterrents if only people believed that it could happen to them. Although many burglaries occur through open or unlocked windows and doors— or by using the key we too often “hide” outside—the most common forced entry is kicking in the basement or rear door. Even a good deadbolt lock in a solid door can be defeated by a couple of sharp kicks, breaking the deadbolt lock right thru the wooden door frame.
To strengthen your rear door, make sure that you have a substantial strike plate on the frame that is screwed in with 21/2″ screws. Make sure that the strike plate you use on a wooden door frame is for a wooden frame with offset holes for the screws. Using a strike plate with the holes lined up on a wooden frame can split or weaken the frame.
To strengthen your basement door, secure brackets on both sides of the frame and rest a 2×4 in the brackets across the door.
The tighter the hold against the door the stronger the reinforcement. Operation Safestreet will install a double-cylinder deadbolt lock with a strike plate attached by 21/2″ screws for a total of $30.00, materials and labor included. Operation Safestreet can also install a “basement door barricade” for a total of $24.00, materials and labor included.
If you are a senior citizen, disabled, or a burglary victim there is absolutely no cost.
If you do not have the entire amount as a paying customer, we ask for at least 25% at the time of installation and will allow you to pay the remainder in monthly payments.
Please call us.
We want to help. 622-3444.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, December 1990.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1990_12.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 7.
