Police urge residents to keep eyes open

Minding your own business in most cases is a sound piece of advice to follow. But when it comes to keeping potential burglars at bay, the Auburn Police Division wants residents to make it their business to keep an eye out for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

“During the summer months, the number of burglaries go up due to the fact that a lot of families are on vacation and students are out of town,” said Capt. Tom Stofer of the Auburn Police Division.

When it comes to curbing home burglaries, Stofer describes the public as the “first line of defense.”

“In the past, tips we’ve received have helped us apprehend burglars in the act,” said Stofer. “And we’d much rather catch them in the act instead of simply mopping up later after someone’s home has been burglarized.”

If residents see suspicious activity going on in their neighborhood, Stofer encourages them to contact the police and not to try to confront a potential burglar themselves.

“As a neighbor, that person has a good general knowledge for who should and shouldn’t be at the home next door to them,” Stofer said.

Other crime prevention just boils down to common sense.

“Either lock it or lose it,” said Stofer. “That may sound like an easy thing to do, but in a number of cases, the burglary victim failed to do just that.

“Protecting citizen’s property is one of our goals, but we need our citizens’ help in doing that.”

Other prevention tips:

- Keep your home, car windows up and doors locked.

- Keep valuables out of sight.

- Make your home appear lived in while you’re away by using timers for lights, TV and radio.

- Don’t allow mail or newspapers to stack up.

The Auburn Police Division will check on your home while you’re away. To ask for this service, call 501-3150 during regular business hours or 501-3100 after hours and on weekends.