The North Royalton Police Department recently reported a high number of vehicle break-ins in the southwestern part of the City. According to North Royalton Police Department Chief Keith Tarase, most of the break-ins took place in developments in that area and all of the vehicles were unlocked. Items that were taken were primarily purses and money.
Tarase notes that although there is no one fool-proof way to protect against being robbed, he stressed that “the more difficult you make it for them to steal your belongings, the less likely they are to break in.” They only go for the easily accessible items.
The following are some tips to make your house and car less vulnerable:
- Keep your garage door closed and locked, even when you are home.
- Make your home look occupied, by leaving lights on, or utilize automatic timers.
- Install dead bolts on outside doors.
- Store items out of sight, especially purses.
- Place curtains on garage and basement windows.
- Have adequate exterior lighting. A motion-sensitive light is recommended for backyards.
- Trim trees and shrubs so that they cannot be used as hiding places for intruders.
- Make sure your door hinges are on the inside.
- Install a home alarm system and use it! Many burglars will not be deterred by a window sticker or sign indicating that the home has an alarm system.
- Don’t hide keys under doormats, flowerpots, mailboxes.
- Mark your valuables with your driver’s license number with an engraver. This makes it more difficult for a burglar to dispose of and easier to recover.
The following are some tips one can follow to avoid car break-ins:
- Lock your car at all times, even in the driveway.
- Do not leave the garage door opener in plain sight.
- Do not leave keys in the vehicle.
- Never leave valuables in plain sight.
- Make sure windows and sunroof are closed.
- Do not place valuable items in your truck in public view.
Suspicious activity should be reported immediately to the Police Department at 440-237-8686.
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer