As we enter the middle part of the Holiday Season the Ottawa Police Department reminds you to take extra precautions in making sure your house is not as inviting to potential burglars.
Here are a few tips to help you:
- Security motion detection lights on the exterior of your residence and out buildings.
- Locking your vehicles at all times.
- Locking your house and out buildings at all times of the day when no one is home. Lock dead-bolts when possible also.
- Locking all screens and windows.
- If possible avoid placing large dollar item boxes out for trash in the open where they can be seen.
- If possible don’t announce your out of town on social media.
- Speak with neighbors about looking out for each others residence. If you see something out of the ordinary please call the police as soon as it happens.
- If possible think about installing a home alarm system.
- Remove hide a keys. If possible give an extra key to a close family member or trusted neighbor.
- Lock up ladders that maybe easy accessible to get to a second story. Lock them up in a shed or garage.
- Check doors for faulty or weak locks.
- Use a wooden dowel or metal bar on sliding doors and windows so that they are less likely to be pried open.
Other items to consider:
Preventive Measures
- Make sure that all doors, windows and other openings are properly secured with strong grilles and good quality close-shackled locks. Change the lock promptly if the key is lost or stolen; Do not leave large sums of cash in your premises. Jewelleries and valuable items should be kept in a bank or a good quality safe; Cancel all deliveries (for example newspapers, magazines) when on holiday or business closure, even if it is for a few days;
- Install adequate CCTV systems or security alarms. Service them regularly and ensure that they are in good working condition;
- Secure all doors and windows before retiring to bed, end of daily business operations or leaving premises unattended for a short while;
- Avoid leaving valuables such as wallets, bags, cash, handphones, and laptops near the window along the common corridor;
- Arrange for trusted persons such as relatives, to clear your mailbox and check on your premises when you are away, even if it is for a few days; and
- For private housing estates, ensure that the access areas of the premises, such as the front-porch, are adequately lit during the hours of darkness to deter would-be criminals.
-Some of this information was provided by the National Crime Prevention Council
If you plan on being out of town for an extended period of time:
- Please contact our office to do a security check or have your neighbors check on your residence on a regular basis.
- Place lights inside the residence on a timer.
This page has been established as a way to share information with the Citizens and visitors of Ottawa Ohio. It is for informational purposes only and criminal violations should be reported by calling 911 or (419) 523-3208 or (419) 523-3449. We reserve the right to remove any postings that are deemed inappropriate. All suspects featured on this page are assumed innocent until they are proven guilty in either Putnam Municipal Court or Putnam County Common Pleas Court as applies.
Ottawa Police Department 