The San Gabriel Police Department would like to take this opportunity to share some burglary prevention tips. The majority of the residential burglaries committed in San Gabriel occur during daytime hours during the week; however, these tips will cover all hours. Burglars usually choose houses where they believe no one is home. Leaving a car in your driveway can be a simple technique to convince a burglar to move on. At night, leave some interior lights on or even a radio or television for some background noise. Install motion lights on the exterior of your residence.

 Take steps to protect your residence. There are many options for residential alarm systems and home surveillance. There are even motion-sensing video doorbells available for purchase. If you want to set up an audible alarm, make sure there is a speaker inside and outside so your neighbors can hear it if it goes off. Make sure any surveillance system is motion activated and can alert your smart phone. Burglars do not like big dogs. If you have a large dog that barks at potential intruders, this can be an excellent deterrent to burglars.

Take proactive steps to protect your property. Burglars are after cash, jewelry, guns, and sometimes electronics. Lock up your valuables. Keep your guns and ammunition in a locked safe. Make sure the safe is bolted to the floor/wall. Burglars know all of the regular hiding places, including closets, under beds/mattresses, in the freezer, etc.

 Know what to look for. The vast majority of residential burglaries occurring San Gabriel are committed by street gang members from out of the area. They tend to use vehicles that would not garner attention. It would not be unusual to see a group of residential burglars in a high-end luxury SUV. If you see a group of people in an occupied vehicle or one person waiting in a vehicle you have never seen before, call the police and report suspicious activity immediately.

 Know your neighbors and neighborhood. Speaking to your neighbors and knowing what cars and people are regularly in your neighborhood can be tremendously helpful. Many of the burglars that we catch in the act come from an observant neighbor calling in to report suspicious activity.

If you see a suspicious individual, call the San Gabriel Police Department immediately at (626) 308-2828.  Remember, it takes less time to open a window and cool down your home after you have returned to your residence than it does to replace all of your stolen property.