Virtual Valley Glen

From the April 2009 LAPD Van Nuys Community Newsletter:

Captain III William Eaton is still on a medical leave and it is anticipated the he will return at the end of April. In the meantime, I (Captain I Kelly Mulldorfer) will continue as the Acting Area Commanding Officer of Van Nuys.

With regard to crime, Burglary, Theft from Motor Vehicle, and Auto Theft continue to be the most significant crime problems throughout the Van Nuys Area. Gang crime is down by 48 percent and there have been no homicides in Van Nuys in 2009. We are continuing our public education campaign, "Leave It, Loose It" to remind the public to remove items of value from their parked cars. Additionally, I would like to urge the public to call the police when they see suspicious persons or vehicles, particularly in residential neighborhoods during the day, which is when most of the residential burglaries occur. Many of our recent burglaries have involved homes the either had a "doggie-door" or an unlocked/open door or window. Please be diligent in properly securing all of the doors and windows when you leave your residence or place of business, and at night when you are asleep.

If you know anyone who is interested in becoming a Los Angeles Police Officer, now is the time to apply. The Los Angeles Police Department needs qualified applicants and is continuing to hire. The job has great benefits that include: good pay; health, dental, and life insurance; generous vacation and sick leave; job security; and most importantly, it is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people in the community. Go to joinlapd.com for more information on this truly rewarding career opportunity.

Community participation and support continues to be the most important factor in our success in reducing crime. I would like to convey my deep appreciation and thanks to all who live, work and play in the Van Nuys area for your ongoing support.

For more information and city statistics, visit the LAPD / Van Nuys Community Newsletter website.

I've heard about a lot of house burglaries lately in our neighborhood. A friend of mine had her house broken into two weeks ago and they took EVERYTHING of value. Literally everything. Computers, iPods, every stitch of jewelry in the house, Playstations...right down to the first tooth that her son lost that was inside her jewelry box.

Now is the time to be VIGILANT neighbors! We MUST, MUST, MUST watch for unknown cars on our streets. Look for people sitting in cars who don't belong in the neighborhood. Every burglary I've heard about in the past 2 years has taken place in BROAD DAYLIGHT while people were at work. It's up to the neighbors who stay home during the day to be on patrol, watching the surroundings carefully for intruders.

If you see someone breaking into a neighbor's house, call 911. ASAP. Get them while they're in the act. Do not attempt to stop them on your own. And, by all means, don't try to emulate the guy in Texas who shot and killed the two guys who had just burgled his neighbor's house. Be a silent hero.

As soon as I can get it, I will post our Sr. Lead Officer's phone number and email here. If you sense anything suspicious, call him or the LAPD.

Finally, now is a good time to be proactive. Catalog and photograph all items in your home. Transfer them to a disc or external drive that can be stored in a safe place - a place where burglars won't find it. Know what you have in case the very worst happens.

Meanwhile, here are some additional tips to keep your home, family and surroundings safe:

Is your home a haven for a burglar or are you savvy when it comes to ways to deter a house burglar? The majority of house burglaries are crimes of opportunity and approximately two out of every ten burglaries do not involve the use of force such as breaking a window. Most burglars do not plan ahead to break into homes and instead look for homes that are easy targets.

Take a close look around your home and scrutinize it carefully. Would your home deter a house burglar or would it present an opportunity that would be too good to pass up? If you answered the latter then learn ways to beat the burglar at his own game by increasing security around your home. Do not leave valuables where they can easily be noticed.

Ways to Increase Security at Home

-When you go anywhere, even if it is just out for a walk or a quick trip to the corner store, lock all of your doors and close all windows in your house.

-Install locks on all of your windows as most burglars will be deterred by the need to break a window.

-Place deadlocks on all of your doors.

-Resist the urge to label your house keys in the event that you lose or misplace them.

-Never hang or leave any of your keys, whether they be house or car keys near a door or window in your home.

-Do not leave spare keys under outdoor plants or mats or in your garage or work shed. In fact do not leave spare keys outside at all. This is an invitation to all would be house burglars.

-Make sure your house is equipped with burglar alarms that are visible to all potential house burglars. As well make sure your home is well lit and equip your yard with security lighted. These are all excellent forms of deterrents to house burglars.

-Never allow shrubs, hedges or bushes to grow so large and thick that they obscure the view of your doors and windows, both in the front and back of your house. Your front door and livingroom window should be easily visible if you were to stand on the street and look in that direction. Any bushes or hedges that are within four feet of your driveway or your door should be trimmed to a foot or two while anything that is within the range of four to eight feet should be no higher than four feet.

-Always keep your outdoor gates locked and fencing around your home is smart although having huge walls or solid fencing may encourage house burglar because it is easily for them not to be seen by neighbors. A better option is to install chain link fencing and/or trellises and grow prickly bushes and thorny plants where your fences are as well as under all of your windows.

-When you are away on vacation use timers for all of your lights as well as your television and stereo. This makes it seem as if someone is home even when no one actually is.

And some tips from a police department website:

STREET LIGHTS
Good streetlights deter crime. Report broken street lights to your city or county maintenance department.

EXTERIOR LIGHTS
Floodlights deter burglars. Arrange them to illuminate all possible points of entry.

INDOOR LIGHTS
Don't leave indoor lights on 24 hours a day. Use timers to turn them on and off if you're not home.

SIGNS OR DECALS
Put alarm warning stickers or neighborhood watch signs on doors or windows.

YARD LIGHTS
Low-voltage lights on timers can light up walkways and driveways and help neighbors to see and report suspicious activities.

MAILBOX
The mailbox should be large enough to handle all the mail you receive. Put it where neighbors can see it. And if you must put your name on the box, use only your first initial and last name.

DRIVEWAY
Ask a neighbor to park a car in your driveway or in front of your house when you're on vacation.

LOCKS
The common lock-within-the-knob offers convenience, but not enough security. A single-cylinder deadbolt lock should be used with solid wood or steel-clad doors. A double-cylinder deadbolt operated by a key from both sides - should be used in doors where there is glass within 40 inches of the lock.

DOORS
Doors are the most common way of entry for burglars. They should be locked whether you're inside, in the yard, or away from home. They should be solid-core or steel-clad. Outside hinges should have internal pins to keep them from being lifted out. Doors with windowpanes should be reinforced with unbreakable glass or iron grillwork.

GARAGE DOOR
Keep garage door closed and locked. The door leading from the garage to the house - a favorite for burglars - should be solid core, with secure hinges and a deadbolt lock. Electric door openers should be unplugged and the door should be padlocked from inside when you're away from home. Drill a hole in the door and the frame - then slip a padlock through the holes.

GARAGE WINDOWS
Keep windows locked. They also should be covered with shades or blinds and be reinforced with extra locks or bars.

ALARM SYSTEM
There are various types of alarms - motion, spot, perimeter, wireless - each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Before buying one, consider your objectives: What are you trying to protect? How much money do you want to spend? Are there children or pets in the home? Experts suggest that if you buy a monitored system, make sure it is monitored by a person in California, not by a machine out of state.

STREET ADDRESS
Make street numbers large and lighted or reflective so police or rescue workers can find your home quickly in an emergency.

VIEWER
A wide-angle viewer - with 190-degree visibility - or door scope should be installed in the front door.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LOCK
Doors should have high-quality locks that resist being picked, cut or tampered with burglars. The best kind of lock is a double-cylinder deadbolt that requires a key to be opened from either side. But remember, if you're inside the house and the door is locked, you'll need a key to get out. So keep one handy in case of emergency.

BEST LOCK
A double-cylinder deadbolt lock with a hardened cylinder guard and a reinforced steel insert offers the best protection for residential homes.

SHED
Storage sheds, especially those containing ladders or tools that a burglar might use to break - should be kept locked.

SLIDING GLASS DOORS
To prevent a sliding glass door from being lifted out of its tracks, screw three pan-head sheet metal screws into the top of the frame. Adjust the screws to take up any slack between the door and the frame.

To further secure the door, drill a small hole at a downward angle in the overlap between the door and the frame, then insert a steel pin or heavy nail.

VALUABLES
Don't display your electronic equipment, cameras or computers. Keeping valuables in plain sight only makes it easier for burglars to see what they want to take.

FENCES
Fences help keep burglars from carrying away large or bulky items. A wire-mesh fence provides visibility that a solid fence doesn't. If there is a gate, keep it locked.

VENTS
Vents leading under the house should be reinforced with metal bars.

TRASH
If you're away, have a neighbor use your garbage can to make it look like you're home.

BEWARE OF DOG SIGN
The can be a deterrent - even if you don't have a dog.

LANDSCAPING
Keep shrubs and plants trimmed away from windows and doors so you don't give burglars a hiding place.

SKYLIGHTS
Roof lights or entrances should be sealed and reinforced with bars or screens to keep burglars from getting inside.

WINDOWS
Burglars like open windows - or ones that open easily.

Double-hung windows can be reinforced with just two nails. When both parts of the window are closed, drill a hole at a slightly downward angle in the upper corner of the lower sash, extending into the lower corner of the upper sash. Drill this angled hole on both the left - and right-hand sides of the double-hung window - and then insert the nails.

Awning windows can be forced open if they are not tightly closed. Remove the crank handle to increase security; but keep it handy in case of emergency.

Sliding glass windows can be secured with a snugly fitting dowel in the track, a pin through the frame or keyed locks. Another method, also good for sliding glass doors, is to screw several pan-head sheet metal screws into the top of the frame. Adjust the screws so you can just barely clear the door when sliding it.

Jalousie windows can be secured by installing metal grating on the inside of the window or by gluing glass slats to the metal clips that hold them.

Drapes or shades should be left slightly open. A home or apartment looks deserted if they are drawn and closed.

GOOD LOCK
A deadbolt lock with a thumb-turn is the second best kind of lock for a home. This lock requires a key to open from the outside, but can be opened from the inside simply by turning the knob. Remember that if you have glass in or around your door, a burglar could break the glass then just reach inside to unlock the door.

BAD LOCK
The dead-latch lock provides little or no security and should be replaced. A burglar can easily force this lock open by slipping a credit card or pry bar between the door and frame.

Be a good neighbor! Watch your street today!