Stay vigilant during warm summer months

During the warm summer months, many residents leave their doors and windows opened or unlocked in an effort to keep their homes cool. Most residential burglaries in Cerritos are directly attributed to doors and windows being left opened. Burglars will most often use the easiest point of entry possible to get inside a residence.

It is safer to cool your home by opening doors and windows upon your return, rather than leaving them opened and increasing your risk of becoming a victim.

When the weather is warm, garage doors are also often left opened and unattended as homeowners try to ventilate the space. Cerritos Sheriff’s deputies point out that a significant percentage of residential burglaries occur as a result of open garages.

Leaving a garage door open provides burglars an opportunity to inventory belongings for future reference or gain access to your home. Burglars are capable of stealing property in a very short amount of time. Passersby or vehicle occupants can quickly obtain bicycles, lawn care products, tools and other items in a matter of seconds.

Open garage doors also provide burglars the opportunity to enter a garage and close the door to conceal themselves while they try to pry open the inner door into the home.

For more crime prevention and safety tips, visit the Safer Cerritos website.