Neighborhood Watch
In the past, Silver Creek Homeowners have inquired about Neighborhood Watch type programs. At this time there is not a Neighborhood Watch, Block Watch, Crime Watch Committee, or any other group that is endorsed or supported by the Silver Creek HOA. If anyone is interested in starting a program in their local area and wishes to ask for the endorsement of the Silver Creek HOA, you will need to make official application to the Silver Creek HOA Board of Directors. You can start the process by emailing the board hoaboard@silvercreekwa.com. Please note anyone (whether a resident of Silver Creek or not) who engages in any ‘watch’ program in any capacity does so of their own volition and at their own risk.
Click Here for Pierce County Sheriff Contact Phone Numbers
Some Tips from Local Law Enforcement:
Property crime is the most common type of crime. There are a few quick and straightforward ways to help prevent residential burglary. Some of these will seem very basic to many of you, but you would be surprised how often people fail to perform even the simplest prevention steps.
Lock Your House
Gone are the good old days when you could just leave your house unlocked. They were pleasant times, but like all things, must end. Burglaries are often crimes of opportunity. An open garage door or lower floor window is an invitation to burglars driving through the area. If you must keep a window open for ventilation, consider using a top floor window as these are more difficult to access from outside. What about the door from your garage to inside of the home? Is it locked? Do you have a dead bolt installed? Many small things done to your environment can help stop criminals in their tracks.
Get an Alarm
Alarm systems are an excellent prevention tool. Primarily, they draw attention to your home if someone is breaking in. Witnesses are good for the Police, and bad for burglars. An alarm usually means to the burglar that the Police are en route. The Pierce County Sheriff response time is excellent and limiting a burglar’s time in your house is always a good thing. As an added incentive, many insurance companies offer discounts on your homeowner’s insurance if you have a monitored alarm.
Know Your Neighbors
Get to know your neighbors so that you can watch each other’s homes. If you see suspicious activity, notify the Police. Don’t get directly involved yourself as you may place yourself in danger. Instead, be a good witness and write down license plates and descriptions as soon as you can. If you’re going out of town, make sure a neighbor collects your newspapers and mail. A porch full of newspapers or flyers, screams “I’m on vacation, steal my things.” If you don’t have any close neighbors, remember to put your newspaper/mail deliveries on hold.
Lights
Install motion activated flood lights around your home. These are an inexpensive security measure, but they do a fantastic job. Since they only come on when activated, they are energy efficient lighting for your outdoor areas with the added benefit of security when you’re inside. While it’s true that many burglaries happen during the day, a bright flood light is a great deterrent for those who want to be sneaky at night. It makes the bad guys visible and draws attention to the area.
Wooden Dowels
Another cheap and easy prevention tool is wooden dowels for all your windows and sliding doors. You can buy the dowels at almost any hardware store, and they are easily cut to fit your windows. Window/sliding door locks can be forced, but dowels require significantly more force. Granted, a burglar can shatter the window, but this makes noise and that attracts attention.
There is no guaranteed way to prevent burglary. However, following these simple steps can significantly lower your chances of being a victim.