I’ll let you in on a secret: I’m a hero.
A few weeks ago I was walking my dog. It was a nice warm day and my neighbors were all outside doing yard work. Another young man was walking down the street. I waved to him, and kept walking.
All of a sudden, there are fifty cop cars screaming around my neighborhood. One pulls up to me:
“Where did he go?”
I turn to point at the young man — I figured that’s who they were talking about — and he’s disappeared. The cops speed off looking for him, and my neighbors begin to gather and gossip.
After a little chit chat, my neighbor Bob returns to his house to find the front door locked and the young man running around inside.
“He’s in my house! He’s in my house!”
So I hand my dog’s leash to another neighbor and run to Bob’s front door. Before I make it, the young man runs out of the house, and I run after him.
What was I thinking? (That was the first thought that streaked through my head.) I’m not a cop. I don’t know police holds. I can’t “take him down.”
So instead of tackling him, I start talking to the guy while running after him.
“The police are everywhere. You’re not going to make it. Just stop and deal with it.”
I repeat my line, jump over a fence after him, then repeat it again. We dive through some bushes, and he begins to slow down. We cross a few front yards, and he slows more.
“Just don’t touch me,” he says before he stops. It’s over. The police come, handcuff him, and get my name. I continue my dog walk. I guess the young guy was a burglar — obviously not a very good one.
But it reminded me about home safety. Granted, if a burglar broke into my home, all they could steal would be drooling my cat and my puppy who eats dirty gym socks. Since most of you don’t have a hero of my caliber patrolling your neighborhood, I figured I’d share a few tips to prevent burglaries from the List:
* Think like a burglar. Start outside and identify the best locations for a break in.
* Don’t close all your drapes. Closed drapes are a sure sign to potential burglars that you’re not home.
* Lock your garage and shed. They typically contain tools and ladders that can be used to break into your home.
* Every time you leave, secure all entryways. Make sure all doors, windows, and pet entrances are locked.
* Always lock up valuables. Transfer them to a safe deposit box.
Check out more home security tips here. Here’s one more tip from this blogger: DO NOT chase a burglar. Let the police deal with it.
What is going on with you lately? I’m starting to think you really ARE some sort of vigilante hero, and these recent daytime escapades are occurring in front of witnesses because you haven’t found a phone booth to change into your alter ego and are forced to save the day as mild-mannered associate editor Conor Lee. There aren’t many phone booths around these days, so I can see how this can be a problem for you superhero folk.
The phone booth thing has become a problem. I’ve been reduced to using gas station bathrooms.
Thanks for the story and the tips conor. I especially like the “think like a burglar tip”. If you can break into your home (which most of us can and have done when we lock ourselves out) so can anyone else. Many simple, inexpensive steps can be taken to significantly increase the safety and security of your home and make it a less attractive target.
When are they going to give you the key to the city?
The fact that you’re a hero isn’t exactly a secret. We’ve all known it for some time.