Police Offer Tips for Protecting Homes, Businesses from Break-ins

It's summer—windows are left open and people are away on vacation.

Those two factors alone can be enough to make a home or business vulnerable to a burglary.

The Baltimore County Police Department offers some tips on how to keep your home and property safe.

Here are a few of their recommendations:

• According to police records, one in four burglaries in Baltimore County occurs through an unlocked door or window. Even if you are out working in the yard, police recommend always locking up your home.
• Sheds, garages and other freestanding structures are particularly vulnerable to being broken into, police said. The best way to deter a burglar is to keep everything locked.
• Lock your patio doors and keep your first floor windows locked. A recent in Parkville occurred when individuals left their vehicles unlocked. 
• To protect your bike, lock it to a heavy piece of equipment to deter someone from taking it. Also consider engraving the bike with a driver's license number. Police said residents can borrow the engraving tool from their local police precincts.
• Use lighting and locks to deter burglars. Thieves have told police that lighting around a shed or a building will deter them. There are certain types of locks that police said will deter burglars.

For a complete list of tips from the police department, go here.