Sheriff Responds to Recent Break-Ins With Advice to Oakland County Homeowners

Reports of multiple break-ins throughout Oakland County this month have police issuing warnings and tips to area homeowners.

On Tuesday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard issued a news release advising residents to take "simple steps to make your home more difficult to enter and less enticing to would-be burglars."

Bouchard urged residents to make your home look occupied and difficult to break into by following these tips:

• Use motion sensitive lights on the exterior of your home.
• Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.
• Keep your garage door, exterior doors and windows locked even when you are home.
• If you do leave your windows open, use a locking device to prevent it from being opened all the way.
• Install special track locks on sliding glass doors and windows to prevent them from being forced or pried open.
• Be sure valuables in your home are not visible from the street.
• Use blinds and drapes on windows to conceal these items. 
• Trim trees and shrubs near doors and window to limit hiding places close to your home. 
• If going on vacation, have a trusted neighbor pick up your newspapers and mail so these items don’t accumulate and alert burglars of your absence.
• Arrange for them to keep an eye on your home, even taking care of mowing the lawn. 
• If you see a vehicle or someone who is loitering around the homes in your area, call your local police. 
• Leave lights on when you go out.
• If you are away for an extended period of time connect your lights to automatic timers.

Residents or business owners who have information to report or who notice something unusual in their neighborhood can call the Berkley Public Safety Department at 248-658-3380 or the Huntington Woods Public Safety Department at 248-541-1180. Public Safety officials encourage residents and business owners to keep their doors and windows secured at all times.