From the desk of Patrol
Sergeant James Chamberlain
As the weather turns warmer, it is important to remember windows are an easy target for breakins.
Windows are an existing opening and may also be exploited by a burglar if not adequately secured. Burglars are generally reluctant to break glass as that sound carries and people will hear and take notice. It is important to make sure your windows are as secure as possible.
Here is how: Older homes may need supplemental security devices. Double-hung sash windows can be secured with a pin-lock. This is done by drilling a hole completely through the inside sash so that a pin can be inserted which projects into the outside sash, thus securing both in place.
You may want to install “stops” on windows to prevent them from being opened more than a preselected width, (typically 6 or 8 inches, which is adequate for ventilation, but will not be enough to let someone crawl in. Screw a block of wood or metal into the track above the sliding sash. With stops in place, even if an intruder tries to open your lock, he cannot open the sash more than the width you set without breaking glass. Thumbscrew metal stops are also available for some windows, which are easier to adjust or remove than traditional wooden stops. However, “stops” do limit the ability for you to use windows as an emergency exit. You would have to break out the window to quickly exit the room.
Be sure to shut and lock windows when not at home. As with doors, make sure to trim shrubbery around windows so burglars don’t have an area where they can work undetected.
If you make it harder to get through a window or door, most thieves will give up and move on.
