Western Springs Police Issue Crime Alert: Residential Burglaries Are on the Rise

The Western Springs Police Department issued a crime alert Thursday afternoon to warn citizens about four recently reported residential burglaries in the area.

Two burglaries took place between 9:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Dec. 29 of last year, police said. The most recent pair happened between 8:40 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18. In all four cases, someone, or several people, broke into locked single-family residences in Old Town North, Old Town South and Ridge Acres neighborhoods.

In the crime alert, local police offered the following advice to residents in order to avoid home burglaries (submitted by the Western Springs PD):

Develop a relationship with neighbors in which you watch each other’s homes while away.

Our Neighborhood Watch Program is a proven method of crime prevention by reporting all suspicious activity to the police department. Please contact Administrative Services Coordinator Shaun O'Connor at 708-246-1800, ext. 154 or at soconnor@wsprings.com if interested in starting up a Neighborhood Watch Program in your area. Check your landscaping to keep your driveway and yard area open and visible to neighbors. Call the police department if you observe any of the following:

• Unfamiliar subjects walking between homes or yards
• Unfamiliar subjects knocking on doors and then going to the rear of a home
• Vehicle dome lights left on
• Unusual dog barking

Don’t be an easy target.

Lock all first floor windows with auxiliary lock mechanisms. Use a bar to fit tightly into the track of sliding windows or doors. You can have an inexpensive dowel cut to fit snugly in the window track. This will prevent the window from being slid open. Remember, exterior doors should always be locked whether you are home or not.

Secure your vehicles and garages.

An unlocked vehicle often contains a garage door opener. Lock your vehicle even in your own driveway. Many residents fail to close their garage door immediately after entering or exiting. An open door is an invitation to a potential burglar. Finally, the service door between your garage and home should be of the same construction as an exterior door and contain a dead bolt lock.

If anyone has any information regarding these burglaries or would like additional information, please contact the Western Springs Police Department at 708-246-8540.

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