Collierville police offer tips to prevent burglaries | Crime

The Collierville Police Department is being proactive about making sure residents stay safe, and keep their homes and belongings safe this holiday season.

Two burglaries in the area of Houston Levee Road and Wolf River Boulevard prompted the police department to send a reminder that certain clues in your yard and around your home might send a message to burglars.

Police believe that the two burglaries that happened Friday, December 7, were done by the same suspect.  In both cases, the homeowners’ phone lines were ripped from the exterior wall in order to disable their alarms.  The suspect then entered the homes by prying open windows.

Investigators believe the suspect stayed in the neighborhood and waited until they saw the residents leave the homes before forcing their way inside.

The Collierville Police Department sent out a letter out to city residents to not only inform them about the crimes, but to offer some advice in hopes of preventing additional burglaries.

The police department encourages residents to make sure their security alarms are armed at all times.  Since the suspect in the aforementioned burglaries cut the phone lines, Collierville police suggests people use a cellular backup option which makes cutting the wires useless to a would-be burglar.

For those of you who might be thinking about installing security cameras at your home, make sure that the cameras you choose work at night.

Of course, if you see something or someone that is out-of-place in your neighborhood, do not hesitate to call police.

“You know your area better than anyone else,” said Lieutenant Ben Wardlow in a letter written to Collierville residents.  “If you see something or someone that is out of place, give us a call to come check it out.”

The police department is willing to send a patrol car to your neighborhood to check things out if you spot something unsettling.  The more details you have when contacting police, the better.

“Things such as license plate numbers, vehicle descriptions, and personal descriptions will help, but only if obtained safely,” said Lt. Wardlow.  “Don’t put yourself at risk to gather this data if something in your gut tells you to get to safety.”

Here is some more helpful advice offered by the Collierville Police Department:

• Keep a list of your valuables, including the make, model, and serial numbers.  Taking photos of your valuables, guns, and electronics is also a good practice.
• Keep the valuables you rarely use (jewelry, precious metals/stones) in a safe place or safe deposit box off site.  According to Lt. Wardlow, precious metals have become a hot commodity and are worth money even when altered or melted down.
• Lock the doors to your vehicles and store all valuables that might be inside your car out of sight from people outside.
• Do not advertise that you are not home or that you might be filling it with new gifts.  A stack of newspapers on the lawn and a full mailbox both tell burglars that you are not home.  Lt. Wardlow also says a stack of big screen television boxes against your garbage bin also suggests to a burglar that your home is full of new electronics.

“The experienced burglar has become naturally adept at getting a sense of what lies on the other side of your door simply by studying your yard,” advised Lt. Wardlow.

Collierville police also encourages residents to enlist the help of neighbors to gather mail or newspapers while you are away. 

Some of this advice may seem obvious, but as a community the Collierville Police Department hopes we can all work together to curb crime.