WOODLAND, CA (MPG) - Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig is warning residents of Yolo County to be extra vigilant during the summer months to avoid being burglarized.  This past week, there have been numerous posts about burglaries on the local Nextdoor social network including the following post from a Davis resident:  “Late last night around 12:30 am people tried to get in through the front door. Thankfully it was locked. I heard the front door moving from my room. We have bells on it and I heard the bells and the door shake. There was no wind at all. Afterwards, I looked out of my bedroom window and saw a man and a woman walking away from the front door. The woman saw me in the window and told the man who then looked up also. I ducked down. I peeked up and they left. I went downstairs and checked the front door and stayed up for a while.”  

Although, Yolo County overall is an extremely safe place to live, home and car burglaries, as well as crimes of theft, occur every day. Burglaries make up a large percentage of crimes referred to the District Attorney for prosecution.  The following tips are some considerations to protect your home and car during these hot summer months when people tend to leave windows open or belongings in their car while they run, bike, and swim or are away on vacation. 

Car break-in prevention tips:
• Always lock your car and roll up your windows.
• Never leave your wallet or purse in your car.
• Do not leave valuables in your car.
• Glove boxes do not equal safety, do not store gift cards or reward cards there.
• If you do leave valuables in your car, hide them before you park and get out, not when you park. Thieves watch their tar¬gets and can see you shoving valuables under your seat or storing them in your trunk.
• Do not leave the key to your car on top of your tire or in the wheel well when you’re at out shopping or at the gym. Thieves know that trick.
• Keep in mind that even the most cautious person can fall prey to theft. But, the harder you make it to obtain your valu¬ables, the greater likelihood you won’t have to replace them.

Home burglary prevention tips:
• Burglars tend to strike when you’re at work to avoid confrontation or getting caught, always lock your doors and windows.
• For those who leave windows open, only leave enough space for air to get through, not a human body.
• Open windows should be secured with a bar in the window sill to prevent it from being opened all the way.
• Online shoppers, consider getting a locker instead of allowing packages to be left unattended on your doorstep.
• Thieves follow delivery trucks and steal packages in broad daylight.
• Consider investing in an in¬expensive doorbell camera.
• Do not leave an extra key to your home under a rock or in a planter; store it in a lockbox instead.

District Attorney Jeff Reisig is reminding Davis residents, “Remember to always think about your personal safety. That starts with not leaving doors unlocked and windows open in order to avoid the heat. If you can, invest in a fan, locked screen door or a cooling system. Criminals look for the easiest target, so don’t make it easy on them.” 

For more information about these tips or and how to prevent car break-ins and home burglaries please call the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office at (530) 666-8180 visit our website at Yoloda.org.