Bottom line; lock your doors and windows. The Mercer Island
PD’s analysis showed that in 41% of home burglaries the burglars entered the
house through an unlocked door or window.
Mercer Island PD also conducted a survey of its residences
to measure their motivations and barriers toward burglary prevention actions.
When asked “How often does your household lock all doors when you are away?”
77% said that they always lock their doors. 23% either locked their doors most
of the time, some of the time or never. When asked “What are the main reasons
you don’t always lock door when you are away?” 42% said that they feel safe on
Mercer Island. 33% said that they forget
to check. 28% thought that it did not seem necessary if they are gone for a
short time. 13% said that they were too rushed and 12% thought that it did not
seem necessary to lock their doors during the day.
While it is encouraging the three quarters of the surveyed
respondents always lock their doors when they leave their homes, there are
enough who do not lock their doors to make it worthwhile for burglars to keep
doing their thing.
Feeling safe obviously is not a prevention technique. Even
in safe communities, locking your doors and windows is a prudent measure. In
fact, you might argue that if everyone locked their doors, burglars would not
have the opportunity to break in and steal, which is what makes your
neighborhood safe. Also, remember that most residential burglaries occur during
the day when both spouses are more than likely to be at work.
Taking the time to lock your doors when you leave your house
might save you heartache when you come home only to find some of your things
missing.
City of Mercer Island:
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