Reno police detectives said residential burglary continues to be an issue for neighborhoods and that the best defense against burglars is residents keeping a watchful eye on their neighborhood and taking measures to make it difficult for burglars to commit their crime.

Sgt. Matt Dellavella pointed to a case last November in which two juveniles and an adult were arrested as an example of how neighbors can play a key role in preventing burglaries and apprehending burglars.

“The watchful eye of a neighbor and the information provided by that resident proved critical in apprehending the burglary suspects and the recovery of stolen property,” Dellavella says. “Residents who observe suspicious vehicles or activity in their neighborhoods should contact the Reno Police Department by calling 334-COPS or dialing 9-1-1 if they see a crime in progress."

A Neighborhood Watch organization can provide even more resources to assist police in apprehending criminals and preventing neighborhood crime such as burglary, according to Dellavella.

The Reno Police Department will assist neighborhoods in organizing a local Neighborhood Watch program, which needs at least 50 to 75 percent participation of the neighborhood in attending two or more meetings a year to learn about crime trends, how to identify and report suspicious activity and how to safeguard property to be effective. Information on organizing a local Neighborhood Watch program can be obtained by calling the Reno Police Department’s Crime Prevention voice message at 334-2178 and a return call will be made.

Dellavella said residents should make it difficult for burglars to getting into their home because burglars look for the easiest targets.

“Frequent entry points for burglars are pedestrian doors into garages and windows,” said Dellavella. “If you make it difficult for burglars to get into your home, they will often pass it up for an easier target. One of the most basic elements is to always make sure all doors remain locked so burglars simply can’t walk in.”

The Reno Police Department recommends use of solid core or steel external doors rather than hollow-core doors to prevent door-kick burglaries, he said, pointing out other measures residents can take to minimize the chance of their home being burglarized.

• Install heavy-duty deadbolt locks with a one-inch throw bolt and heavy-duty four-screw strike plate with three-inch screws penetrating into a wooden door frame on all exterior doors as well as doors leading from your garage into your home.

• Secure sliding glass doors, that otherwise can be lifted off their tracks, with vertical security bolts, solid wood rods on the inside tracks, or similar locking devices.

• Avoid using decorative door installations that include glass sidelight panels that can be broken for easy access to interior locks.

• Make sure door installations do not have gaps around the door frames that can provide leverage for removing a door from its frame.

• Doors leading into the home from the garage should be kept locked at all times.

• When pulling your vehicle out of the garage, be sure to close the garage door completely.

• If using an automatic garage door opener, wait until the garage door is closed and secured before leaving.

• Secure pet doors. They may not allow adult burglars entry, but can be used by smaller children to enter your home and give burglars or others access.

• Windows are the second most used entry point into a home for burglars who often find unsecured or open windows an open invitation, according to Dellavella. “Residents can easily secure windows and thwart burglars using the following tips:

• Keep windows secure by making sure the latch is in good condition and properly adjusted, and use a secondary blocking device that is relatively inexpensive and can be found in hardware stores and often in the hardware sections of many grocery stores.

• Inexpensive wooden dowels and sticks can work well for horizontal sliding windows that can also be equipped with screw-type devices that lock into window channels to keep windows from being opened.

• Anti-lift devices such as through-the door/window frame pins are useful for horizontal windows.

• For ventilation, only block windows open about 6-inches or less, and make sure someone can’t reach in from the outside and remove the blocking device, or reach through and unlock an adjacent door.