Police Urge New Tampa Residents to Look Out for Burglars

It’s a situation you don’t want to find yourself in: You return home from work to find your sliding glass door broken.

Your house has been ransacked, and the items you’ve worked so hard for—some even irreplaceable—a have been taken.

That’s the scenario some New Tampa residents are seeing, according to the Tampa Police Department.

“Our department has been investigating burglaries in areas where homes are near conservation areas,” wrote Lisa Timmer, TPD’s Neighborhood Affairs Liason, in an email.

In all cases, the burglar(s) entered the homes through sliding glass doors, which were either broken out or pried, according to police. The homes were also in close proximity to protected conservation areas, and the burglaries occurred while the homeowner(s) were away in the evening hours.

Although most burglaries take place during the day, they can happen anytime you are away, police said.

If you have information regarding these burglaries, call TPD’s Detective Division at 813-931-6578.

“Please see the Crime Prevention Tips provided and call police if you observe anything suspicious,” Timmer said.

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TPD Crime Prevention Tips include:

• Do not leave valuables in your home unsecured (jewelry, coin collections, etc.). You may want to consider using a safety deposit box or a home safe that is hidden and secured with bolts attached to the foundation.

• Keep shrubbery and fencing to a minimum to increase the visibility of your home. Keep your home adequately lit on the outside. If you have floodlights and motion sensor lights, make sure they are in working order.

• Consider an alarm system that is audible, monitored, and has both motion and breaking glass sensors.

• Lock all doors and windows on your home and use auxiliary locks, especially on sliding glass doors.

• Participate in Operation Inventory. Keep a copy of your inventory, receipts and pictures of valuables in a separate location with family, friends or in a safety deposit box. Find the form at www.tampagov.net/police, or call the crime prevention team at 813-931-6541 to have one mailed to you.

• Call 9-1-1 if you see or hear anything suspicious. Many times barking dogs and the sounds of breaking glass are ignored and not reported. Even someone loitering around backyards or driveways who is unfamiliar should be reported to police.

• Never feel like you are being a bother. Police would much rather respond to a false alarm call than to end up taking a crime report later.

• Get to know your neighbors and what vehicles they drive so you know when someone may be out of place on their property.

• Join the Neighborhood Watch Group in your area.