Homeowners brace against burglars

Green Valley News

Last summer’s wave of home burglaries rocked Green Valley, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office wants to be sure nobody is surprised this year.

Nearly 50 homes were burglarized in summer 2008, more than double the previous year’s 17, said Lt. Sandy Rosenthal, who heads the Green Valley station. Of those, 40 were attributed to a group of four Sahuarita men; seven others were the work of a landscaper; others were isolated incidents.

“Crime is very low when people are here,” Rosenthal said. “It remains low during the summer, but we always have a spike of property crimes during those months.”

Most of the victims were winter visitors who returned home months later to an empty space where their televisions and computers used to be. Others were enjoying the cooler summer weather of the Midwest or East Coast when a call from the Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteers notified them of the break-in.

Bill Bond was out-of-state when he learned that his home near San Ignacio golf course was burglarized. He said SAV officers patrolling his neighborhood noticed an open door. An initial investigation found that a large flat-screen TV had been taken. When Bond returned to Green Valley, he discovered that his wife’s jewelry was also missing.

Bond believed the property was well-secured when he left for the summer, and up to that point had lived in the area 22 years without a break-in. With the doors and windows locked tight, blinds pulled shut, and a house-sitter staying part of the summer, he felt comfortable leaving.

“Our house was off a side street, we thought we were safe,” Bond said.

He now has a security system and secures his sliding glass doors with specials locks. He recommends that residents keep a well-maintained yard over the summer, free from overgrown bushes and weeds that might clue criminals in to an extended absence.

Bond worries that the current economy may drive more people to property crimes.

“In these hard times, with people out hungry, you’ve got to take means to protect yourself,” he said.

Green Valley resident Janet McCormick, who was out running errands when her home was burglarized, said she knew something was wrong when she came home and noticed her puppy was “agitated.”

It turns out that a teenager, high on drugs, had broken in through a window and taken several items, including a laptop computer and a trumpet. Deputies found the teen’s vehicle that day in front of another home, with McCormick’s items in the back seat. .

She has since talked to the teen, who she describes as “a lost soul” involved in the drug culture.

Though she still thinks of Green Valley as a comparatively safe community, McCormick said it’s important to be aware of issues in the community that ultimately could have an effect on you.

“We’re living in a prime corridor here, with our own unique issues,” she said. “We have to think ‘urban’ in this environment.”

jrichardson@gvnews.com

What you can do

Make your house look lived in by:

Leaving the radio, TV, and indoor lights on while you’re running errands.

Having neighbors park their car in your driveway periodically if you’ll be gone more than a few days.

Making sure your yard does not become overgrown while you’re away.

Also, lock safes and large TVs inside a closet or a secure area out-of-sight.

Home Security Checks

Call Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteers at 547-6744 to request routine house checks while gone.

Volunteers check homes by walking around the outside perimeter, looking for unsecured doors, open windows and water leaks. They will notify deputies and the homeowners if they find anything suspicious.

During the summer, volunteers check about 250 homes per week, at seven- to 10-day intervals.