The sun is out, summer is here and it is a good time to take some easy steps to better protect your home from crime. Residential burglaries are a nationwide concern and the Bellevue Police Department is taking steps to help improve community efforts for crime prevention.

Criminals are always looking for the “opportunities” to commit their crimes, police officials say.When people give them these opportunities, they can become a victim.Police advise people to take a pro-active approach in “hardening” their person and property to ensure they are not taken advantage of.

Many of Bellevue’s neighborhood associations have blogs or Facebook pages dedicated to the sharing of information among neighbors.The police department encourages that form of communication. However, it does not substitute for calling 911 for Bellevue Police Department’s to respond to suspicious events or subjects.

The department notes that making a record of car descriptions and license numbers (even partial) can help. For suspicious individuals, a description including approximate height, weight, build, facial hair, clothing, etc. also can assist police. However, the department adds, people should never put themselves at risk to get the information.

Bellevue police offer the following tips to protect a home from a break-in:

• Call 911 to report any suspicious activity.

• Lock all doors and windows. Ensure the interior doors leading from the garage to the home interior are locked.

• Keep garage doors closed at all times.

• Walk the perimeter of your house to ensure there are not items left unattended that could pose as an opportunity for a thief, such as garden tools including lawn mowers; ladders; bicycles; UPS, FEDEX or US Postal items delivered to your doorstep when nobody is home.

• If you have an alarm – use it!Post the yard stakes or adhere the window labels advertising to the thieves that you have an alarm.

• Hide jewelry and valuables – most of these burglars are grabbing electronics, cash and jewelry (especially gold) that are in sight and accessible. If you have a safe use it to secure valuables (passports, blank checks, credit cards, extra house and car keys and firearms ). A safe should be heavy and bolted down to concrete.

• If you are away, leave a radio or TV and/or light on and ask a neighbor to periodically check your house. Timers on interior and exterior lights are also good even when you are not away – and vary the times they are turned on and off. Make sure newspapers are removed daily in addition to garbage cans brought in from the curb.

• If you have a car parked outside, remove garage door opener and registration/insurance information and do not leave anything valuable in plain view.

• If someone is knocking on your door, especially in the daytime, they may be casing your home. Address them from inside your home so they know someone is home and call 911 if you feel this is suspicious; don’t open the door for any reason. Try and observe any vehicles or other subjects associated.

• Don’t “advertise” what you have just purchased by leaving the packing boxes from your new television or computer next to your recycling totes; break them down and put them inside.

The Bellevue Police Department works with the city’s Neighborhood Outreach Program in such activities as organizing Block Watches and getting involved with the Neighborhood “ACTS” Program, an innovative approach to community-oriented policing where people can make their neighborhoods safer and get to know your neighbors.Those interested in the program can call Det. Richard Chinn.

For further information, residents can contact:

Mike McCormick-Huentelman, Neighborhood Outreach Manager, City of Bellevue, 425-452-4089

LT Lisa Patricelli, Detective Supervisor-Fraud, VICE & Crime Prevention, city of Bellevue Police Department, 425-452-7921

Det. Richard Chinn, Detective-Crime Prevention, city of Bellevue Police Department, 425-452-6915