Before you head out for vacation or family visits this holiday season, Chattanooga Police and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office want to make sure you and your home are protected.
Basic changes to your home or routine can mean the difference between deterring a would-be burglar or coming home to an unwelcome surprise, Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Korter said during a recent community meeting at Hawkinsville Missionary Baptist Church in East Brainerd.
Citywide, the number of home break-ins decreased from 1,741 in 2014 to less than 1,500, according to year-to-date numbers from the end of November, said Chattanooga Police Department Public Information Officer Kyle Miller. The number of car break-ins also decreased by approximately 10 percent, but there were still over 2,000 for 2015.
A key concern with car break-ins that many people don’t think about is burglars who steal garage door openers, then return with access to an interior garage door that many people leave unlocked, Korter added.
In fact, he said, some nationwide statistics suggest as much as 70 percent of the population leaves their interior garage door unlocked.