Mansion Farm

The
  New Castle County Police have asked Councilman Bell to notify as many of his
  community leaders as possible concerning the below Burglary/Personal
  Protection Seminar.  If you are not the current Civic Association or
  Maintenance Corporation President, please forward to appropriate person and
  contact Karen Barlow, Legislative Aide, 302-395-8372.  

There
  will be an upcoming Burglary/Personal Protection Seminar on Wednesday,
  December 19, 2012, at 6:30 p.m., at the Paul J. Sweeney Public Safety
  Building, 2601 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE.   It
  will be located in the first floor community conference room.

We are only as safe as we remain vigilant. Some of our
  best investigative assistance comes from the residents of New Castle
  County.  They are truly the eyes and the ears for the police, when we
  are unable to be in every community throughout the day.

Please carefully read the below information and also
  beseech your neighbors to immediately report any suspicious activity to our
  police.

The majority of our recent burglaries are occurring
  during the day while residents are at work and school; however, a few have
  occurred during the nighttime hours.  Residents are being reminded to
  secure all your windows and doors (including sliding glass and garage doors).
  Please review the Safety Information below.

The police ask that anyone with information regarding
  suspicious persons or vehicles in the area to immediately contact the New
  Castle County Police at 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number at
  302-573-2800.  Anonymous tips may also be sent by text message to the
  New Castle County Police by texting the key word NCCPD followed by your tip
  to 847411. Additional burglary prevention information, as well as a link to
  submit tips, is available on our web site, www.nccpd.com.

Remember these burglary prevention tips
  for your home:

Protect Your Home’s Exterior

  
• CLOSE
         AND LOCK ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS.  Use deadbolts with at least a one
         inch throw.  Window screens do not stop a burglar.
  
• Make
         sure all first floor window air conditioning units cannot be easily
         removed.
  
• Display
         your house number in plain view.
  
• Install
         lighting at all entrances, including decks, porches, sheds and garages.
  
• Trim
         back any overgrown trees and shrubs from window ledges. Overgrown
         landscaping provides burglars with a place to hide.
  
• Neighbors,
         passing motorists and police officers should be able to see your windows
         and doors. Close your blinds at night.
  
• Do
         not leave ladders in your yard. Be sure to secure them in your garage or
         shed.
  
• Reinforce
         sliding glass doors with slide bolt through the frame and a block in the
         track. 
  
• Do
         not hide keys outside your home.
  
• Do
         not leave your garage door openers inside your vehicle.  Lock
         interior garage doors.
  
• Alternate
         the location/direction of your parked vehicle (s) to avoid
         predictability

Protect Your Home’s Interior

  
• Install
         dead bolt locks on all entrance and exit doors and make sure you use
         them every time you leave the residence. Many burglaries occur when a
         homeowner leaves for only a short time.  If you leave it—lock
         it!
  
• Install
         window locks. Always make sure ground floor windows are secure. There
         are bands of burglars who are organized.  One will distract you
         while a partner climbs through an unlocked window
  
• Install
         a “Door Viewer” or “Peep Hole” so you can see who is knocking at the
         door. If you don’t know who it is, do not open it.
  
• Do
         not leave information on your social networking sites or voice mail
         detailing your travel plans.
  
• Use
         timers on your lights to give the appearance that someone is home.
         Consider leaving a radio or television on.
  
• Cut
         up, fold or recycle boxes from recent expensive purchases instead of
         leaving them curbside.
  
• Do
         not leave your garage door open when outside doing yard work or other
         chores. 

For more
  burglary prevention information, please contact the New Castle County Police
  Community Services Unit - (302) 395-8050

Mike Minster