Seniors Zone
Residential Burglary
A burglary is when someone enters illegally a place such as a home or a business and steals someone else's belongings.
A break-and-entry is when someone illegally enters a place for the purpose of committing a crime: theft, assault, etc.
- If you are the victim of a burglary, call 911 immediately
- If you witness the burglary, describe the burglar and the burglar's escape route
- Do not touch anything until the police arrive
Advice
- Make sure your exterior doors are well lit. Avoid having bushes, trees and fences around your home - they may provide hiding places for burglars.
- Use automatic light timers - they're easy to install and inexpensive.
- Engrave your valuables - your neighbourhood police station will lend you an engraver for free. CDs can be marked with indelible ink.
- Install a security system to alert your neighbours of the presence of intruders.
- The officers at your neighbourhood police station will help you identify the vulnerabilities in your home and take measures to fix them - for free!
If you are going away for a long time:
- Ask someone you trust to pick up your mail
- Cancel your newspaper subscriptions
- In winter, have your walkway and balcony shovelled
- In summer, have your lawn mowed
Safety tips
- When selling your home, before accepting visits, get information on the individual(s) (name, current place of residence, job, etc.).
- Do not let people into your home for a visit if they do not have an appointment or if you are home alone. When a visit is scheduled, let a relative know of the date and time of the visit and of the information you have on the visitor.
- Be aware of what people are doing during the visit.
- Do not accept any gifts, drinks or food from a potential buyer.
- Make sure you have easy access to a phone to be able to dial 9-1-1 if the individuals refuse to leave your home of if there is a problem.
- If you are the victim of theft, do not attempt to defend yourself. Cooperate with the suspect(s).
- Try to memorize as many details as possible on the suspects and dial 9-1-1.
