The Sequim Police Department is warning our community about an increase in daytime burglaries that have been happening in and around Sequim.
We are urging neighborhoods to watch for people going door to door, this seems to be how the burglars are determining if someone is home. Call 9-1-1 and report any door-to- door activity in your neighborhood. Also, call to report any unknown or unfamiliar vehicles traveling slowly or parked in your neighborhood.
If you have any information regarding these recent burglaries call North Olympic Crime Stoppers (NOCS) at 1-800-222-TIPS. NOCS pays cash rewards of up to $1000 dollars for information that results in an arrest for felony crimes reported to NOCS. Remember you never have to give your name; all callers remain anonymous.
Periodically, we find that burglars have targeted a specific location; however, home burglaries are usually random in nature. Burglars look for a residence with easy access and low visibility to keep them from being seen when entering through a window or kicking in the door.
There are steps you can take to make your house less attractive to a burglar.
• Take a good look at your home and identify vulnerabilities. Stand across the street and think to yourself, “How could I break in?” You’ll detect those structural or landscaping designs that visually block the entrances to your home. If you want a more objective assessment, ask your neighbor to do it.
• Prune or trim back trees, shrubs, or bushes near windows or doors where a burglar could hide.
• Solid fences provide privacy for EVERYONE, including the person breaking into your house. If you have a fence or are thinking about building one, consider styles such as wrought iron, chain link, or separated board that allows visual access to your property.
• Night time burglars prefer to work in the dark. If you are away from home for an evening, leave a light on inside the house. If you are away for an extended period, make arrangements for your lights to come on periodically (neighbors, timers, etc.). Light up your porch, sidewalks, and other access routes. Properly placed and functioning lights remove shadows and illuminate the potential suspect.
The Sequim Police Department relies on our community to act as eyes and ears, we urge our community to call 24 hours a day 7 days a week if you see suspicious or criminal activity anywhere in our city. It does not have to be an obvious crime to call and make a report, if you don’t report it is as if it didn’t happen.
Most importantly, get to know your neighbors and start a Block Watch in your area. Starting a Block Watch is a commitment between you and your neighbors to look out for and report suspicious or criminal activity to the police. The overall goal is for the entire neighborhood to be unattractive to burglars. Simple changes such as additional lighting, shrub removal and fence design can go a long way to make that happen. If you would like more information on Block Watch or home security please contact our Crime Prevention Officer Maris Turner at mturner@ci.sequim.wa.us or 360-683-7227.
