Prevention Tips
You may help prevent a burglary to your home or that of your neighbors. Call the Rolling Meadows Police Department with any questions at 847-255-2416.
Trust Your Instincts
Be vigilant and trust your instincts! Report any suspicious noises, people, or vehicles in your neighborhood by calling 911 immediately so the police can check them out in a timely manner. Any delay will prevent a successful police investigation.
Be Prepared
Burglaries to homes and vehicles are often crimes of opportunity in that burglars will seek out the easiest targets and bypass ones that may take more time, be more difficult to enter, or increase the likelihood that they will get caught. Make yours less inviting to thieves by doing the following:
Trust Your Instincts
Be vigilant and trust your instincts! Report any suspicious noises, people, or vehicles in your neighborhood by calling 911 immediately so the police can check them out in a timely manner. Any delay will prevent a successful police investigation.
Be Prepared
Burglaries to homes and vehicles are often crimes of opportunity in that burglars will seek out the easiest targets and bypass ones that may take more time, be more difficult to enter, or increase the likelihood that they will get caught. Make yours less inviting to thieves by doing the following:
- When you go out for the evening, set lights on timers and have a radio or television on with the volume at a reasonable level so your house or apartment appears to be occupied.
- When you leave your home, make sure that all doors and windows are locked, even if you are going out for a short time. Be sure to use a good deadbolt type lock on all of your exterior doors, including the door to your attached garage. Secure any sliding glass doors with a security bar as well.
- The exterior of your residence should be well lighted including, but not limited to, motion-activated lamps. If possible, install motion detector lighting. Place such lights high enough off of the ground so that criminals cannot reach them easily to remove the bulbs or damage the fixture.
- Have an alarm system installed, learn how to use it properly, and use it regularly. Place a sign in your window that advises that your home is protected by an alarm system.
- Secure your valuables, document serial numbers, and photograph jewelry and other possessions that have no serial number. Keep these records in a safe place.
- During the holiday season, be careful not to place gifts in windows or doorways visible from the outside.
- Let a trusted neighbor know if you are going to be away and ask them to watch your home. Consider giving them a key and the alarm code. Offer to provide the same service for them.
- Temporarily suspend newspaper delivery and mail service or have a neighbor or relative retrieve them daily. Any build up of papers or mail signals to burglars that the home is vacant.