Gazette Photo by John Ruch TOP COP Boston Police Capt. Paul Russell, the new commander of JP’s District E-13 Police Station, works at his desk last week. Russell recently told the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council that he has a “hands-on” approach and that residents can express any crime-fighting concerns to him at [email protected].
Burglary Prevention Tips
Burglary can happen to you, anywhere in JP, and summer is favorite time for criminals because of open windows. The local District E-13 Police Station offers the following tips for preventing housebreaks:
- Keep all doors and windows locked when no one is at home.
- Secure air conditioners to window frames to prevent them from being pushed in
- Keep shades closed to prevent intruders from looking inside
- Don’t leave valuable items (especially laptops and cell phones) in plain view
- Expensive locks are only as good as the doors and frames they are attached to
- Form Neighborhood Watch groups and get to know your neighbors
- Report any suspicious person, which can include salespeople and utility workers with no ID or people who ring the doorbell but do not know who they are looking for
- Let neighbors know if you are traveling and have mail picked up or held at the post office
- Most housebreaks happen during the day when people are at work
- Eliminate “blind spots,” such as shrubbery, where an intruder could sneak into a property
- Trust your instincts and report anything suspicious
Suspicious persons or housebreaks should be reported to Boston Police at 911 (on a cell phone, 617-343-4911).
From materials from the E-13 Community Service Office.