(Fargo, ND) — A string of burglaries on Fargo’s south side has prompted The Fargo Police Department to warn those who may be in the line of fire.
Since January 16th, there have been five residential burglaries that resulted in items such as firearms, a vehicle and scheduled narcotic prescription medications being stolen.
Four of these incidents occurred while the homeowners were gone for multiple days.
At this time, FPD doesn’t have any information that suggests these incidents were committed by the same suspect, but does have some recommendations to protect your home against intruders. They include:
• Ensuring the exterior doors of your home are secured. This would include side entry doors on garages and sliding glass doors. Install a deadbolt, add a strike plate, upgrade to smart locks, and/or boost your security with a video doorbell. Reinforce sliding glass doors by inserting a window bar or dowel in the track to keep the door from being forced open. Another option is adding a door sensor or glass break sensor which will alert you if the glass door is tampered with.
• Ensure exterior lighting is working properly and turned on during hours of darkness. Consider putting outdoor lights on a timer. Install motion activated lighting in areas where individuals may try to conceal themselves while trying to enter your home or garage.
• Ensure alarm systems are working properly and engaged when you are and are not home. Today there are plenty of home security options for every budget and every level of protection. Consider adding security cameras which work both as a deterrent and a means to get justice. Security cameras can be part of a complete home security system or operate on their own. Must have features would include motion detection, night vision, Wi-Fi capability, local or cloud storage and weatherproof.
• Secure your garage with a smart garage door opener, cover windows to hide items which may be of interest to thieves, secure garage doors with extra locks, remove valuables and keys from your vehicle and lock it.
• Get a safe. In the event someone gets by your other home security strategies, make sure your valuables are protected. Look for safes with redundant locks (two locks on one safe). Firearms are desirable items for burglars. A gun safe keeps your weapons out of their hands and protects your family from the risk of tragic accident.
• Make your house look lived in. When you’re out of town, hold your mail, ask your neighbors to intermittently park in your driveway, and arrange for snow removal. Use smart bulbs and motion-sensitive lights inside your home.
Officers note that burglars want to spend as little time in your house as they possibly can.
• Identity related information. Keep items such as your passport, social security card, and birth certificate in a locked safe or a safety deposit box at the bank.
• Cash. Don’t store it in the most obvious places such as your sock drawer, a small safe, side table, or medicine cabinet.
• Prescription drugs. These are easy to find—in the medicine cabinet. Get rid of unused/unneeded prescription medications by dropping them off at your pharmacy or in the prescription drop box in the Fargo Police Lobby, 105 25 St. N.
• Jewelry. Find a creative spot to store your jewelry other than the back of your dresser drawer—something like a safety deposit box or safe.
• Tech devices and electronics
• Tools
Fargo Police also say you can register all these items on the City’s free My Property website.
