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The Virgin Islands Police Department continues to urge residents to be more proactive in protecting their homes and properties. Since the start of the year, there have been a noticeable number of burglaries and home invasions throughout the territory. Virgin Islands residents have woken to find unknown individuals in their homes or returned to their homes to find that they have been burglarized.
Here are some tips to keep your home, property and family safe.
- Keep areas around your home clear of over grown brush, especially those areas around windows and doors.
- Ensure that your home has adequate exterior lighting. Consider installing motion sensor lighting around your home, especially in those areas that are considered dark, or that are not easily visible from the home or roadway as an added security measure.
- Consider installing timers on lights and other electronic equipment to give the appearance of activity within the home.
- Protect windows by putting grates, grill work or bars over them. Secure all doors and windows, prior to going out, going to bed or when leaving the home for any extended period. Glass sliding doors are easily secured by placing a bar or dowel along the tracks, thereby preventing easy opening of the door.
- If you are going to be away from your home for any extended period of time, for example while traveling off-island, ask a relative or friend to regularly check on your home. Inform your neighbors of your plans. Chances are that they will be the first to notice any unusual activity or people around your property.
- Know your neighbor or even be a nosy neighbor. Inform police of any suspicious activity or behavior in your neighborhood or around your home.
- Abandoned cars or overgrown lots contribute to crime. Contact local officials and property owners to encourage cleanup and reduce the potential for crime or criminal activity to occur.
If you suspect a burglary, don’t go inside the home because the burglar may still be inside. Contact Police immediately by calling 911.
The Virgin Islands Police Department also encourages the community to consider establishing and implementing a Neighborhood Watch program within their communities. Neighborhood Watch is one of the oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country. It counts on citizens to organize themselves and work with local law enforcement to keep an eye and ear on their communities. Neighborhood Watch is not a vigilante program. Instead, it is an initiative that asks neighbors to be alert, observant and caring and report suspicious activity or crime to police. For more information on starting a Neighborhood Watch program in your community, contact the Police Department at 774-2211 on St. Thomas, 778-2211 on St. Croix or 693-8808 on St. John.
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