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Burglaries have plagued police in all Putnam municipalities all year, including incidents in Southeast, Brewster and Mahopac, where a man was shot to death, reportedly in self defense after breaking into his ex girlfriend’s home.
In May, an Ann Road resident in Mahopac was forced to wrestle a gun away from her ex boyfriend, when it went off and he was fatally shot. Earlier this year, a Fishkill man was charged with eight counts of burglary after being apprehended following a joint investigation between state and local police, and in March, Wappingers Falls resident Richard Fuhst was arrested for felony burglary charges, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.
According to police officials, in an effort to prevent burglaries during the summer, homeowners should ensure that all doors and windows are locked when leaving the house, with a “solid core or metal door at all entrance points,” that can’t be kicked in or forced open. Extra caution should also be used on sliding glass and garage doors. Windows can also be pinned for added security by “drilling a 3/16-inch hole on a slight downward slant through the inside window frame and halfway into the outside frame and placing a nail to secure the window.”
Other tips include leaving lights on when going out, and setting timers to select lamps to turn them on and off during the day, and installing exterior lighting and motion-sensitive lights. Deliveries of mail and newspapers should not build up during extended vacations, landscaping routines should be continued and any keys in “secret hiding places” should be removed when going away.
During the summer, police departments are set to increase local patrols, when homeowners are most vulnerable, though they’ve warned that all residents should be on high alert, with alarm systems activated and doors and windows locked at all times.
In an effort to prevent any burglaries during the summer months, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department has arranged several neighborhood watches, to help police patrol when they’re busy with other duties.
“The best crime prevention ever invented is a good neighbor. The security steps you and your neighbors tape as a group are just as important as the things you do individually,” according to police officials. “Neighborhood watch includes an effort to inform everyone of good home security techniques, marking and listing your property and neighborhood participation. It also includes watching out for, and reporting suspicious or unusual activities in the neighborhood.”
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