The holiday season is a peak time for burglaries in Orlando, Gainesville and throughout Florida. It’s a case of supply and demand. Many homes are filled with expensive purchases this time of year and bad guys want them.
One of the key signs criminals use in determining which homes make attractive targets are the presence of what the Orange County Sheriff’s Office calls “burglar boxes.”
Burglar boxes are packaging from expensive purchases like TVs, stereos and game systems that residents leave by the curb awaiting trash or recycling pick up. These provide instant indications a home is ripe with new electronics primed for thieves.
“The bad guys shop just like we shop,” said OCSO Captain Jeff Stonebreaker. “You put that box out and the burglars come.”
To reduce the number of residential burglaries inspired by the presence of burglar boxes, OSCO placed a series of cardboard recycling stations throughout Orlando this month. Residents are encouraged to bring their empty boxes to the following locations between now and January 3rd in order to responsibly dispose of them without attracting criminals into their homes:
Pine Hills Shopping Center, 5101 West Colonial Drive
Home Depot, 7022 West Colonial Drive
Rotary Club of West Orlando, 475 S. Kirkman Road
Subway, 413 North Alafaya Trail
CVS, 5190 South Conway Road
KMART, 8725 South Orange Blossom Trail
Sedano’s Supermarket, 12981 South Orange Blossom Trail
OCSO East Orange County Substation, 11000 Lake Underhill Road
Residential burglaries represent 37% of OSCO investigations and that number increases during the holidays. That’s why it’s so important to take simple steps to keep your home safe this holiday season. Among the most basic are keeping doors and windows locked, leaving lights on when you’re not home and keeping gifts out of sight of windows and doors.
Naturally, a home alarm system is your best line of defense. And there’s no better gift you can give your family this holiday season than peace of mind that comes with home security. Call Crime Prevention Security Systems today for a no-obligation consultation.
