Crime & Safety

Prince William County On Pace For Less Burglaries

The number of burglaries in Prince William County so far in 2011 isn't as high as it was for the same period in 2010.

Correction: An earlier story on Manassas Patch misinterpreted Prince William County burglary statistics. This is the corrected version of the article.

Prince William County is on pace for a decrease in the number of burglaries for the second year in a row.

The county crime stats for the first two quarters of 2011 show that there have been 376 burglaries so far, compared to 433 during the same period in 2010, according to county crime statistics.

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There were 971 burglaries in 2010, which was a 1.3-percent decrease from the 984 burglaries in 2009.

The Manassas City Police are encouraging home and business owners to always lock the doors and windows while away after a inside her house. The Manassas City Police Department does not have 2010 crime statistics posted on its website yet.

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Here are additional tips from Consumer Reports to prevent your home or business from becoming a target for thieves:

Posting vacation photos on Facebook. Burglars troll social media sites looking for targets.
Instead: Wait until you get back before sharing vacation details or make sure your security settings only allow trusted “friends” to see what you’re up to.

Leaving your garage door open or unlocked. Once inside the garage, a burglar can use any tools you haven’t locked away to break into your home, out of sight of the neighbors. Interior doors between the garage and your home often aren’t as strong as exterior doors and may not have deadbolt locks.
Instead: Always close and lock the garage door. Consider getting a garage-door opener with random codes that automatically reset.

Hiding spare keys. Burglars know about fake rocks and leprechaun statues and will check under doormats, in mailboxes, and over doorways.
Instead: Give a spare set to a neighbor or family member.

Storing ladders outdoors or in unlocked sheds. Burglars can use them to reach the roof and unprotected upper floor windows.
Instead: Keep ladders under lock and key.

Relying on silent alarm systems.
Everyone hates noisy alarms, especially burglars. Smart thieves know that it can take as long as 10 to 20 minutes for the alarm company or cops to show up after an alarm has been tripped.
Instead: Have both silent and audible alarms.

Additional tips provided by WTOP include not relying on the family 'guard dog' to scare off experienced burglars, who have learned how to fend off the pesky barkers. Also, make sure you house stays well lit by replacing light bulbs regularly.


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