CONTACT #1: Deputy Cocha Heyden, Public Information Officer, 303-660-7586, pgr 303-826-7822 CONTACT #2:
RELEASE DATE: 04/27/07 RELEASE TIME: 3:00 pm CASE NUMBER: 0704267, 0704269
WHAT: Douglas County Sheriff Pleads With Community To Shut Garage Doors Especially in Light of Recent Burglaries
NARRATIVE: DOUGLAS COUNTY: Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver is pleading with the public to help fight crime by making sure their garage doors are shut, making sure all exterior doors and windows are locked and taking it one step further by locking the door between the garage and the house. This simple task will hopefully prevent a lot of crime from occurring. This plea comes on the tail of three recent burglaries in the Highlands Ranch area where it is believed the suspects entered open garage doors and even entered homes while residents were asleep inside.
Douglas County deputies responded to three burglary reports in the area Southeast of University Blvd and Wildcat Reserve Pkwy, in Highlands Ranch, Co. The victims reported that the crime occurred in the early morning hours of April 26, 2007, sometime between midnight and 6:00 am. On two of the reports the victims found their garage doors open when they discovered the missing items. The third report states that the victim found the garage door shut but that the side door from the exterior into the garage was unlocked. The suspects made entry into the occupied homes by way of the unlocked door from the garage to the house. In all cases, the items that were stolen had originally been within 15 feet from the garage door. It was also learned that a lot of the items that were taken were found within a short distance from the homes. All three reports indicate that the homeowners were home and asleep at the time someone entered their homes.
While these cases remain open, investigators are looking into similar cases in other jurisdictions and trying to determine if these burglaries are being committed by the same person(s).
The Douglas County Sheriff wants to use these reports as a learning experience, strongly encouraging citizens to close their garage doors and verify that doors are locked. “Douglas County is a safe place to live, but we do need to realize that some criminals treat our communities as their own personal shopping malls. Let’s work together to send a message to these people that we are not open for business. The small simple step of shutting your garage door and encouraging your neighbors to do the same will go a long way in preventing crime”, stated Sheriff Weaver.
If you are looking to take a proactive approach to crime prevention in your neighborhoods please contact the Community Resource Unit of the Sheriff’s Office at 303-660-7544. They can give you information on how to start a Neighborhood Watch Program in your area. They can also conduct a free security survey of your home.
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