Residents Urged to Protect Homes from Thieves

It’s been exactly six months since Proposition 47 took effect.

The measure reduced some crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. That means a ticket instead of a trip to jail in the back of a patrol car.

Some cities have seen a rise in crime. In Fresno, there’s been an increase in car and home break-ins.

That means you need to do all you can to protect your home and property from potential thieves.

As summer approaches, and temperatures rise, more and more of us will throw open the windows and doors.
While that lets in a cool breeze, it can leave us vulnerable to those who want to take advantage.

"That leaves an easy target for a thief to come in and take things from your home," said Tony Botti with the Fresno Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office is warning residents to make sure windows and doors are locked especially when you’re not there.
And don’t leave any valuables in your car. No cell phones, purses, or computers. Take those with you get to your destination or get home each night.

"All those things that you need day to day it’s only going to take a little bit of time to carry it in. At least when you wake up in the morning you know it’s there and you carry it back out to your car," Botti said.

Keep your bushes and hedges trimmed so burglars don’t have a place to hide.
And at night, turn on your outside lights. Something as simple as replacing a burned out bulb could make your home less of a target.

In the Fig Garden neighborhood of Fresno, residents have an email chain to alert one another of crimes or break-ins. And an active neighborhood watch looking out for one another.

"If you see something suspicious call the sheriff, if you’re in the city call police let em know and they will respond," said resident Dean Anderson.

The sheriff’s office is also trying to get people to sign up on Nextdoor.com.

You can download the app on your smart phone or sign up online. Nextdoor.com is a social networking site to put neighbors in touch with one another. The sheriff’s office plans to use the site to get information out to residents.