Bellevue Police have seen an uptick in residential burglaries across the city, in some cases, the residents have been home. The burglars mainly enter through open or unlocked windows and doors, making off with valuables in plain sight. The victims report stolen cash, credit and debit cards, laptops and small valuables.

Home video surveillance has been a big help for investigators. The cameras not only record in high definition helping with identification, but they also send alerts when anyone is captured on camera. Detectives have been able to solve dozens of cases with the help of the surveillance video. If you capture suspicious activity on your camera, please send it to the police so we can follow up with an investigation.

It is not uncommon to see a rise in burglaries during the warm summer months as people leave windows and doors open to cool off their home. But that also makes homeowners easy targets for burglars. Here are some practical steps you can take to protect yourself.

Lock your doors and windows

Close the garage door

Don’t leave valuables, purses, wallets, phones, jewelry, laptops in plain sight of doors and windows

Use timers to turn lights on and off at different times of the day or night.

Install exterior motion sensor lighting or bright floodlights

Install an alarm system or home video surveillance system

Also, it is always a good idea to connect with your neighbors. Neighborhood Block Watches are the most effective and free methods of crime prevention. Your neighbor can be your eyes when you are away and report anything suspicious. Nobody knows your neighborhood like those who live in it.

National Night Out is an annual event that encourages neighborhood gatherings to talk about safety. NNO is August 6th this year, so why not have a neighborhood BBQ or get together? If you would like a Bellevue Police officer to stop by your gathering with more crime prevention tips, email your request to CrimePrevention@bellevuewa.gov