information from Seattle Police Department

Even though many Seattle area residents are Staying Home to Stay Healthy, we still see residential burglaries occurring throughout Seattle.  There are some trends worth noting.  In some instances, suspects peered through windows, saw something close by that they wanted, then smashed the window and grabbed the item without entering the home.  In other instances, burglars may be watching to see when people leave the house, (maybe going to the store for a short while), make entry, then leave quickly.

We wanted to offer these tips to help reduce burglaries in your neighborhood:

• Lock your doors, even when home
• Lock your windows or at least limit how far they can be opened
• Don’t leave valuables in close proximity of a window
• Answer the door; let people know you are home. “Answering” the door does not mean “opening” the door. Always know who is on the other side of your door before you open it, even if you are expecting someone
• While home, take moments to go outside and put eyes on the street; check out what’s happening on the street
• When you see neighbors out and about, wave and say hi.  When you see people you don’t know out and about on your street, wave and say hi.  Send the message that you are a neighborhood that cares and that you are paying attention
• Do not call 911 to report people being outside; remember that Police are focused on criminal behavior, not people who want to get out of the house for a bit (Please contact us directly if you have questions about how to report anyone violating the 'Stay-At-Home' order)
• Stay connected with your Block Watch neighbors and help keep an eye on your neighbors’ place and ask they do the same for you
• If you live in an apartment or condo make sure to check on your car daily to ensure it is secure.
• It's a good time to also use your Block Watch connections to see if any neighbors need help or could use a few items from the grocery store