Are you prepared for a rise in burglaries?

Since the beginning of December, 2014 there have been 19 thefts, six burglaries and two robberies reported in the South Lake Tahoe city limits. While many of these are petty thefts, others have resulted in the theft of valuable jewelry, electronics and other belongings from residences while the owners weren't home.

Have you protected your home to the best of your ability? Many of us may think that "it can't happen to me," but when a home was burglarized around the corner from me, I changed that mode of thinking and started looking into ways to better protect mine.

There are a few things people can do in and around their home and neighborhood to both protect it and to help provide law enforcement with information that could lead to an arrest and conviction.

According to South Lake Tahoe Police Lt. David Stevenson there are several key elements to protecting one's home.

1) Good lighting - Have good outside lights. Motion detectors aren't always necessary since our local wildlife can set them off and, if it happens often, people may not pay as much attention to the motion.
2) Good locks - Unfortunately, someone who picks locks gained unlawful entry to a home in the Tahoe Keys. Invest a few dollars into a system that really works and is more burglar proof than cheap and generic versions.
3) Clear brush and front view obstruction - Don't have big bushes and trees right next to your front door where people can hide. They don't hide people that are there to necessarily cause you harm, but they provide a burglar cover.
4) Block sliding glass doors - Another recent Tahoe Keys burglary happened when someone climbed a ladder and got in a second floor's sliding glass door when they jimmied the lock. A simple pole can prevent this.

One big key to a neighborhood being protected rests with the residents who live there. Neighbors can help each other out by knowing who belongs, which cars and people appear suspicious, knowing which homes are vacant either due to being vacation homes or the residents are at work or out of town.

The City of South Lake Tahoe offered Neighborhood Service Teams in areas around the city last year but they fell to the wayside due to lack of participation. Tracy Franklin, the City's Public Information Officer, said she'd be happy to work with neighborhoods again if they express a desire to have a Neighborhood Watch program. She has the signs and resources available. Call Franklin at 530-542-6093 for more information.

Stevenson said Neighborhood Watch programs can be really effective in fighting crime. "When we do catch people it is from observant neighbors and family members," he said. "It is important to know your surroundings."

Alarms and cameras are an option for both inside and outside of a home or business. Systems that can be controlled by a smart phone are increasing in quality and decreasing in price. Property owners can set up the system to alert their phone when someone unwanted has entered the home, start recording and alert police. There are also a couple of local companies that will install alarm and camera systems.

If a home or business in the city limits has an alarm system owners are required to get a permit and pay a nominal fee ($30 for first year, and then $30 every three years for home and $15 per year for businesses. The permit lists all contact information, phone numbers and other important information for the Police to have in the case of an alarm being activated. The SLT Police Department responds to dozens of active alarm calls every month though most turn out to be false.