A character created by author Joseph Heller, in his classic novel “Catch 22,” stated “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” The journalist Hunter S. Thompson, observed: “There is no such thing as paranoia. Your worst fears can come true at any moment.” These sentiments came to mind recently when several emails crossed my desk from residents concerned about home and neighborhood safety.
Coming in the aftermath of a Nov. 3 home invasion reported on Naperville’s southeast side, people are rightfully concerned. While the Naperville incident appears isolated, police sources say similar burglaries were reported in neighboring communities in the last few months. Perhaps most concerning about this report is that the unlawful entry occurred in late-morning hours (after 10 a.m.) and was preceded by the young male and female suspects repeatedly knocking on windows and doors before their eventual confrontation with the homeowner.
To protect your home, Sgt. Bill Davis of the Naperville Police Department advises that “best practice to prevent these types of burglaries is keeping your doors locked, even in the daytime hours. And use your deadbolt-style locks — it takes a lot of effort to defeat these locks. Also, make sure all windows and patio doors are secured properly.”
This last piece of advice is particularly timely. Since warm breezes aren’t anticipated any time soon, now is a good time to make the rounds of the house and ensure that windows are closed and locked. In addition to safety and security, locked windows are more weather-tight, reducing drafts and helping control heating costs.
With patio doors seeing less use during the winter months, something to think about is placing a bar in the door track to prevent it from sliding. Something as low tech as a sawed-off broom stick can increase your home’s perimeter defenses.
Neighbors can also help. Walnut Ridge Homeowners President Jim Freeland told me that his association has posted “neighborhood watch alert” signs, sent email alerts to residents, and posted alert/watch notifications on their website.
In this same vein, Davis adds, “keep an eye out in your neighborhood. If something looks suspicious, call the police. Also, keep an eye out for your neighbors. If you know they are away, have a way to contact them if something seems out of place or unusual about their house. In most cases, it is the neighbors who take notice of suspicious activity and a call is the best way of protecting our property and keeping the neighborhood safe.”
Speaking of neighborhoods, there are people walking around on a daily basis that may or may not have a legitimate need to be there. Davis cautions, “When someone does come to the door, such as utility workers, make sure you ask for their company ID. If you are not satisfied with the ID, contact the business and see if they sent someone out.”
A dose of healthy paranoia just might be the way to keep our homes and families safe.
Bob Fischer is president of the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation. Email him at bobfischer@wowway.com.