By Cass Rains, Staff Writer
Five Enid businesses were burglarized early Saturday morning with more than $6,000 in damages and losses.
Enid Police Department Capt. Dean Grassino said the burglaries occurred sometime between midnight and 2 a.m. Saturday. The businesses burglarized were Lampton Welding Supply, 2705 Rock Island Blvd.; Taco Bandito, 205 W. Willow; Kaffee Klatsch, 101 N. Grand; Dollar General, 204 Sunset Plaza; and Advantage America Cash Advance, 5515 W. Garriott.
Grassino said police believe the burglaries are related because of the burglar’s method of operation was similar in each case.
Glass windows and doors were broken at each business with the burglar gaining access and in two cases taking property. Estimated losses and damages were estimated at $6,299.
Anyone with information that will lead to an arrest or prosecution in the business burglaries is asked to call Garfield County CrimeStoppers at 233-6233 or Enid Police Department at 242-7000. Callers can earn up to a $1,000 reward and will not be required to testify or be identified.
The county has been plagued by rashes of vehicle, home and business burglaries in past weeks.
“Certainly not all, but most, burglars are opportunists and look for the easiest targets or victims,” Grassino said.
He said a trend the department is seeing is businesses and/or homes with alarms have the alarm company call the owner and the owner tells the alarm company not to contact police and “that they will respond.”
“They are telling the alarm company they will respond thinking that it is probably a false alarm, which is not only very dangerous to the owner but delays police response time,” Grassino said.
He recommended home and business owners notify police of any alarm.
“If you have gone through the expense and problems associated with installing an alarm, notify the police immediately so they can respond first,” he said. “Even a few minutes of delay reduces the chances of the police catching the suspects in the act or in the area.”
He aid most burglars are not committing a single burglary and will continue until they are caught.
Home Tips:
Some simple steps can make your residence or business a “harder” target.
• One of the best deterrents to residential burglary is having the home appear occupied.
• Ensure exterior lights are operable and are mounted out of reach, if possible, so burglars can’t easily unscrew bulbs.
• Consider buying motion-sensitive lights.
• Use a variable light timer to activate lights inside when you’re not home.
• Trim shrubbery near doors and windows so burglars cannot hide in the shadows.
Make it time-consuming for a burglar to break into your home by:
• Installing deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.
• Installing double key locks in doors which contain glass, which keeps a burglar from being able to open the door simply by breaking the glass and reaching through. (Note: so that everyone in the house can get out in the event of a fire, be sure to keep the key in designated place).
• Placing additional locks on all windows and patio doors.
Other tips:
• Be sure valuables such as guns, electronic devices and artwork are not visible from the street if possible.
• Lock up ladders and tools that could be used to break into your home.
• Work together with your neighbors. Organize a Neighborhood Watch and let your neighbors know when you will be away for an extended period.
• While on vacation, have someone pick up newspapers and mail or call and have it stopped, so they do not accumulate and alert burglars of your absence.
• Display your house number conspicuously and have it well illuminated if possible to help police and emergency personnel find your home quickly.
Sometimes, all your efforts won’t stop a determined burglar. It’s wise to take some precautions that will help you get your property back should a criminal successfully break into your home:
• Make a list of your belongings and keep receipts, especially for expensive items, such as stereos and computers.
• Update the list periodically.
• Keep copies of your inventory list and receipts in a safe deposit box or with a friend.
• Photographing and/or videotaping your possessions is a convenient way to keep a record of what you own.
• Engrave your valuables with an identification or mark to deter burglary and to prove ownership should the article be stolen and recovered by the police.
• Record model and serial numbers of your items to aid in recovery of those items.
A few extra precautions can keep your business from being victimized by burglary.
• Security fencing is often your business’ first line of defense. A well-maintained perimeter fence will deter burglars and help protect your business.
• Identify possible hiding spots for burglars and install security lighting with automatic movement detectors near back alleyways and in storage yards.
• Ensure that all entrances, yards and parking areas are well lit and visible to passing public, local security patrols and police vehicles.
• Consider installing a monitored alarm system and consider the use of a video camera surveillance system.
• Ensure all outside entrances and inside security doors have deadbolt locks. If you use padlocks, they should be made of steel and kept locked at all times. Remove serial numbers from your locks to prevent unauthorized keys from being made.
• All outside or security doors should be metal-lined and secured with metal security crossbars. Pin all exposed hinges to prevent removal.
• Windows should have secure locks and burglar-resistant glass.
• Remove all expensive items from window displays at night and make sure you can see easily into your business after closing.
• Light the inside and outside of your business, especially around doors, windows, skylights or other entry points. Consider installing covers over exterior lights and power sources to deter tampering.
• Check the parking lot for good lighting and unobstructed views.
• Keep cash registers in plain view from the outside of your business, allowing it to be monitored by police during the day or at night. Leave it open and empty after closing.
• Avoid keeping large sums of money on your business premises.
• Be sure your safe is securely anchored. Leave it open when it’s empty, use it to lock up valuables when you close.
• Remember to change the safe combination when an employee who has had access to it leaves your business.
• Make sure your safe is well concealed.
• Make it hard for burglars to get on to the roof by locating rubbish containers, poles or stacked items if possible away from your buildings.
