Belmont Resident Reports Increase in Daytime Burglaries

A resident of the Alameda de las Pulgas neighborhood said the area is again being hit by a cluster of daytime break-ins.

The most recent was Jan. 15, in the 800 block of Alameda de las Pulgas, between 11:25 a.m. and 12:55 p.m. The resident said no one was home at the time and the culprit broke in through the front entrance.

Other break-ins have recently been reported in the Cipriani/Belmont Country Club area,  so homeowners are advised to take precautions and call Belmont Police if they see anything suspicious at (650) 595-7400 or 9-1-1 if you think it's an emergency.

Patch last reported on a flurry of break-ins in this area in 2011, when daytime burglaries were occurring west of El Camino Real and east of Alameda de las Pulgas, according to the Police Department.

Here are some tips for keeping your home safe:

MacIssac suggest residents take the following steps to help protect your home from burglary: 

• Use sturdy doors 
• Solid wooden doors or doors reinforced with steel offer much more protection than hollow core wooden doors.
• Use safe locks
• Adding quality deadbolt locks is a great idea because they can’t be ‘popped’ the way spring-latch locks can. Ensure that sliding doors are secured with a security plate or screw in the upper track and a metal bar or piece of wood in the lower track. 
• Lock windows 
• When you are not at home, always lock your first-floor windows.

• Security alarm systems: Most systems have loud sirens. Certain systems alert the alarm company to contact the police to respond to the home. Security decals are also placed on doors and windows as a deterrent.
• In a single family home or a multi-dwelling building, the outer hallway door should be locked. If a thief has access to the inner hallway, the thief now has a cover from the public’s eye and extra time to break through the front door without being noticed.
• Turn on your front and rear porch lights at dusk so that the outside of the house is well lit around the entrances.
• When the house is unattended, leave on a radio or sound fixture and also use timers on some inside lights to leave an impression that someone is home. 
• Ensure that there are no objects lying around the exterior of your home that could be used to break into your home (ladder, tools) or objects that could be stolen (bike, lawnmower.) 
• Most importantly, introduce yourself to your neighbors. Consider having a neighbor or friend watch your home when you’re on vacation (cancel news paper delivery; pick up mail, put away trash containers.)