Police: Watch Out for Burglars, Call 911

When a burglar breaks into a residence in Pikesville, you probably won’t hear the dramatic sound of breaking glass or any noise for that matter.

That’s because noise can attract attention that burglars don’t want, said Lt. Jay Landsman of the Baltimore County Police Department.

But you might see someone unfamiliar in the neighborhood, and that’s exactly what you should immediately report to police, he said.

"Call 911," Landsman said. "Don't call the station, call 911 and we will get out there. The more information you can give us, the longer you can safely stay on the phone with the operator, (and) observe activity, the better off we are.

"We have cleared cases because we get them in progress, and we get the real-time report (from a neighbor) and the person is still there," Landsman said.

In recent weeks, residential burglaries have occurred in many neighborhoods throughout Pikesville—at houses and apartments alike, Landsman said during a recent meeting of the Police & Community Relations Council.

And with the winter holiday shopping season approaching, burglars will look to break into homes and steal what people have bought.

“It doesn’t matter what neighborhood you’re in, in Pikesville. The focus is the same: We have to look out for our neighbors and if you see somebody suspicious … call,” he said.

Also as Hanukkah and Christmas approach, shoppers should be careful and more aware of others when they’re out shopping.

“We are telling people to look out when you’re in parking lots … for people who are hanging around,” looking for an opportunity to steal, Landsman said.

Here are other ways you can stop thefts and burglaries, Landsman said:

Watch out for your neighbors and their property. If you know your neighbor is at work, but you see someone you don’t recognize near their home, report it to police, Landsman said. “It may be your neighbor’s cousin, and they told him to go over and feed the cat.” Still, call the police and let the police verify that, Landsman said.

Secure sliding glass doors. It's often easy for burglars to "work the locks" on this type of door. So put a bar, a dowel, a long piece of wood, or other device in the track of your sliding glass door, so it won't open from the outside and criminals will likely leave, Landsman said. They probably won’t want to make noise breaking the glass because that would draw attention.

Have sufficient lighting around your residence. That way, you and your neighbors can see if there's anyone near your home.

Cut back bushes and shrubs. Overgrown or misplaced ones could conceal the view of a burglar at work.

Place a deadbolt on your door, away from side windows. If you have a window next to your doorknob, make sure a deadbolt is not within reach in case someone does break the glass and tries to reach in to undo the lock.

Set the alarm. “If you have an alarm system, it’s only useful if you turn it on,” Landsman said.

Sgt. Vickie Warehime of the precinct's Community Outreach team, said that Citizens on Patrol groups help deter crime as well. They are formal, organized groups of neighbors that communicate with each other with walkie talkies and patrol their neighborhood.

Community outreach groups can take other forms as well, she said. For example, members of a dog-walking group or an informal exercising group can get to know the neighborhood, including the familiar vehicles, during their walks.

"Obviously, thieves are getting in somehow and driving out in a different vehicle," she said.

Or if you're out walking alone, take advantage of your walking time to recognize the familiar things.

"Get out in your neighborhood, know the cars in the neighborhood so that, (for example), one night when you come home from the theater and you see something unusual, you can call 911," Warehime said.

The little things really help us, she said. "Often we hear that when we come back into a community that they saw something strange (such as a car driving slowly down the street late at night) but didn't want to call police."

Don't hesitate to call 911, she said.