National statistics reveal that somewhere in the United States a home is broken into every 10 minutes of each and every day. Thankfully, Alhambra's residential burglary statistics are significantly lower than the national average. However, these statistics do not mean much if your home is the target -- and last year 333 Alhambra homes were the target. Could your home be next?

Whether or not your home is the next target largely depends on you. Do you close, lock, and check all the doors and windows of your home before you leave? In 85% of residential burglary cases investigated by the Alhambra Police Department, criminals made entry into the homes by merely walking or climbing inside - no tools or special effort needed!

To burglars, leaving your home unattended with a door unlocked or a window left open is the equivalent of an "open for business" sign on your front door. A simple and powerful solution to keeping burglars out of your home is to simply, shut them out! Make it a habit to always close, lock, and check ALL doors and windows before leaving your home. It's worth repeating - ALL doors and windows, no matter what the size or shape, or where they are located - keep them closed and locked!

Here is a list of other powerful things you can do to keep your home, your property, and your neighborhood safer:

• Get a Free Copy of the Alhambra Home Security Handbook by stopping by or calling the Alhambra Police Department Crime Prevention Office. This booklet is full of useful security tips designed to keep criminals away from your property.
    
• Inspect Your Home for Security Weaknesses. Do you have adequate locks for your doors and windows . . . and are they working properly? The Alhambra Police Department offers free Home Security Inspections to help you improve the security of your home. Call for an appointment today!
     
• Start, or Rejuvenate, the Neighborhood Watch Program in Your Area! Neighborhood Watch has long been an effective mechanism for reducing crime and the fear of crime in Alhambra neighborhoods. The Crime Prevention Office will provide you everything you need to get a successful Watch group up and running.
    
• Join the Alhambra Crime Prevention On-Line Project. If you have access to a computer and can send and receive e-mail, you can join the on-line project by sending your 3-mail address to alhprev@ix.netcom.com. The Crime Prevention Office will send you crime alerts and useful crime prevention information on a regular basis.

Prevention is a powerful thing! For a free copy of the Alhambra Home Security Handbook, or to schedule a home security survey or Neighborhood Watch meeting, call the Alhambra Police Department's Crime Prevention Office at 626-570-5177.