At this time of year, many of our neighbors depart for the summer, leaving their manufactured homes vacant for as long as six months.
More burglaries and break-ins occur from May through October than any other time of year. Thieves like to target empty homes: They can take their time searching the house without fear that they'll be interrupted by returning residents.
Thieves love to break in during the prime daylight hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at homes where they find a door unlocked. With so many residents gone North for the summer or on vacation, it is easier for thieves to case the community for homes where residents are out golfing, shopping or otherwise occupied. They often find doors unlocked, especially if the entry door cannot be seen easily from the street or by neighbors, and can walk in and help themselves.
To protect against a daylight break-in, follow these simple tips:
* Set up a neighborhood watch system. All of your neighbors should be alert to strangers driving or walking through the area looking at homes.
* Never go away and leave the shed door open with no car in the drive. Thieves love to drive off with expensive golf clubs or other easy-to-pawn items from an open shed. Lock that shed door.
* Lock the house securely whenever you go out, even if you're just running across the street to visit a neighbor for a short time. It takes only minutes for someone to walk in, grab your valuables, and get out.
Now for tips on securing your home when you are away for months at a time:
* Make sure the outside of your home is well lighted. Install a light with motion detection in your carport. Have motion detection lights installed at the rear of your home and at the corners. Thieves do not like to work in well-lighted areas.
* Give a set of keys to a neighbor who will go inside frequently to check for break-ins, possible water leaks or bug infestations.
* Leave a mailing address with several neighbors, along with telephone numbers and your e-mail address.
* Trim shrubs, trees or plants away from windows so a thief can't hide behind them while gaining entry to your home.
* Protect sliding glass doors with bars placed in slider tracks to prevent their being forced open.
* Install timers on lamps and on a radio or TV inside several rooms to give the appearance that someone is home. If you use more than one timer, stagger the settings so lights and sound go on and off over a period of several hours.
* Ask neighbors to park their vehicles in your driveway on occasion.
* Have good locks on windows and all entry doors. Install dead-bolt locks on all doors. Locks should have a reinforcing strike plate installed with 3-inch screws. If you use double keyed dead-bolts, make sure you have ready access to an interior key if you need to leave because of an emergency.
* Have neighbors pick up newspapers or fliers left in your driveway or on your doorstep.
* Store valuables, jewelry, silverware, etc., in a safe deposit box. Move TVs, stereos, etc., to a location not visible from your windows.
* Don't broadcast your absence for the summer or even for a vacation. Don't publish your departure in the neighborhood association newsletter or chatter about it in front of workers. A study by the U.S. Justice Department discovered that 42 percent of apprehended burglars were known to their victims.
* If you have an alarm, use it and test it regularly. If you don't have one, consider installing do-it-yourself, inexpensive motion- or heat-detection alarms.
* Walk around the outside and try to think like a burglar to see whether you missed any areas that should be protected.
There is no guarantee that your home won't be broken into, but these steps will go a long way toward preventing most break-ins. Enjoy your months up North or your vacation by being as free from worry as possible.
Winter resident note: Follow this column online while you are up North this summer. Go to www.sptimes.com In the upper right corner "search the archives" type in "Len Bonifield" and click on "search." This column appears bi-weekly.
Send comments or questions to Len Bonifield at elb@gate.net or fax to 863 853-8023, or phone (863) 858-1557. Please include your e-mail and mailing address. Because of the volume of mail and phone calls, he can't respond personally to every query. Bonifield is a manufactured-home resident and a past HOA president and former officer of the FMO District 1 board of directors.
