Protect Yourself

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY!!!

The neighborhood is experiencing a wave of successful and attempted burglaries in the past six months, one of which recently involved children in the house. The burglars are looking for identity items, money, jewelry, and newer electronics. The Police Department has been contacted by the ONEN Safety Committee as well as by neighbors, though clearly, we must do more with them to help our neighbors. While the ONEN Board has contracted with Cheyenne Mountain Security Patrol to patrol our streets at night and during the day, and while the Safety Committee has initiated the beginning of many Neighborhood Watch groups, there is much more to do. Here’s how you can help yourself and your family to deter the burglars:

Important numbers:

1. Call 911 for Emergencies only. This includes an active break-in, especially if you believe you or your family is in immediate danger.
2. Call 444-7000 (Police Department) to report any burglary if it has already occurred.
3. Call the Colorado Springs Police Department Crime Prevention officer to discuss a burglary or share concerns. There are two such officers: for those living north of Fontanero, call Dave Husted at 444-7246. For those living south of Fontanero (to Uintah), call Jim Barrentine at 444-7252. Share with the officers any information such as license plate numbers, physical descriptions of suspicious individuals, disturbing incidents, etc., that you have observed.
4. Call the Cheyenne Mountain Security Patrol at 548-9990 to let them know about burglaries, suspicious persons, and unusual events.
5. Call the Safety Committee members: Nancy Lippincott (daytime: 332-5528; evenings: 632-1631) and Holly Dickens (daytime: 331-1104; evenings: 520-1861).

Secure your house

1. Make sure your house and garage have sturdy locks. Deadbolts are the best, so the would-be burglar cannot smash a window and reach in and easily turn the handle from the inside. Deadbolts open and close with a key. Do not leave the key in your lock. If you hide your key, choose a very unlikely place, not under a mat or close to your door. Secure your patio door with a pole in the “groove”. Make sure all your windows lock securely.
2. When you are home, lock your doors. Always lock your house, including your doors and windows, when you are gone or even out in your yard or garage.
3. If you have a security system, always activate it when you are gone.
4. Put a timer in place to turn on and off your lights and/or radio while you are away.
5. If you plan to be away, ask a reliable neighbor(s) to be watchful for you. Cancel your newspaper or have them pick it up each morning. Have the Post Office hold your mail or ask the neighbor to collect it. Ask your neighbor to drive into your driveway several times if it has snowed. Hire a neighbor kid to shovel your sidewalk. For $5/day, you can call the Cheyenne Mountain Security Patrol at 548-9990 to check your house outside several times a day.

Consider a security system.

A system can deter a burglar. Modern systems are now wireless. They can be activated manually via a keypad or by a handheld device. They can be triggered by any door being opened, glass breaking, and by interrupted motion sensors. A very loud, constant noise goes off, and automatically the company calls the homeowner, who in turn can call the police, if needed.

Secure your valuable papers

Burglars may be looking for your social security number or those of your family members. Never put these in your wallet. Instead, place them and other valuable papers in a non-portable safe, vault, or safe deposit box.

Secure your car

1. NEVER leave your wallet or purse in your car.
2. Always lock your car.
3. Do not leave anything tempting to steal in sight in your vehicle.

Secure valuable items from your yard and patio

This might include bicycles and other sporting equipment, barbecue grills, power tools, etc. Lock them up!