As summer approaches, more people are leaving their windows open to get a feel for fresh air, but University Police warn that habit may invite intruders into people’s homes.
Although police say crime levels in the summer remain about the same as the rest of the year, some practices may make it easier for intruders to break into a house, apartment or car, said University Police Sgt. Brian Farrell.
From May 8 to May 13, there were 12 residential burglaries in Chico. One was an armed robbery and four involved at least one person who was in the home sleeping at the time, according to Chico Police Department call logs.
At the beginning of the month, University Police Chief Eric Reichel sent out safety tips to students. Such tips include locking all doors and windows, not leaving valuables in plain view of doors and windows and not checking open doors or windows for intruders.
Some students, such as freshman Faren Sanford, have not experienced a break-in, but still want to be cautious.
“I’m definitely more aware now, especially with keeping my window locked,” Sanford said. “I never really thought about that before.”
Other tips include not walking home alone at night whenever possible and choosing a well-lit route, whether alone or with a group. People should also be aware of their surroundings, especially while using a cell phone or listening to an MP3 player.
If an intruder breaks in to your home while you are inside, police advise to lock yourself in a room, such as the bathroom and call police immediately.
Students should also use caution when providing addresses and phone numbers to strangers, Farrell said.
“With these new Web sites where people can pay to plug in a phone number and search for an address, students should be extra cautious when giving out their phone number to people they don’t know,” he said.
There are also precautions to take when leaving for an extended vacation, Farrell said.
These precautions include securing your house before leaving, setting an alarm if you have one, alerting the Chico Police Department of your absence so the patrolling unit can check on the house and having someone pick up mail and newspapers so they don’t accumulate and make it obvious no one is home.
“You don’t want it to look like no one is home,” Farrell said. “That just gives intruders an extra incentive to break in to that house.”
Another tip Farrell gave was to list and save descriptions and serial numbers of items in your house. That way, if items are stolen, police have more elaborate descriptions to look for and make arrests.
“That is probably the hardest part with thefts, we don’t have a specific description of the item to search for,” Farrell said. “If we get a generic description, of let’s say a Panasonic stereo, that doesn’t help us a whole lot.”
Break ins should be reported to the police, whether someone was home or not. To report thefts on campus or in university housing call the University Police at 898-5555. To report thefts off campus call the Chico Police Department at 897-4911, or use the online crime report form the Chico Police Department’s Web site.
Delaine Moore can be reached at
dmoore@theorion.com
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