[Fremont North Neighborhood Logo] General Meeting, Wed., Mar. 14, 7 p.m., 1421 Huntswood Way
LOCK your vehicle when you leave — take your keys with you!
Bad things don't happen to courteous drivers!


Preventing Theft of Recreational Items

Some positive steps for the owner of recreational items that will substantially reduce the risk of theft

Visibility

If a thief doesn't know you have it, he probably won't try to steal it.
  • Keep your garage doors closed except when you're actually taking something in or out.
  • If you can't park valuable items in your garage, park them behind your garage out of sight.

Accessibility

  • Be aware that a garage is often the least secure part of the house.
  • Keep it locked. Padlock the locking slide bar when you're on vacation.
  • Keep locking mechanisms and door tracks in good repair and properly lubricated.
  • Back up recessed panel doors with plywood squares.
  • Replace hollow core walk-in doors with solid core doors and dead-bolt locks.
  • Secure opening windows with removable screws at the intersection of the upper and lower sashes. Permanently secure any windows that you don't really need to open.
  • Remember that an attached garage can provide excellent cover for a burglar to gain entrance to your house. Extra security measures should be taken to reduce the possibility of forced entry through the inside door.

Inside your Garage

  • If your store skis, golf clubs, fishing gear, and other valuable items in your garage, it's a good idea to build a security locker in one corner in order to keep them locked up, out of sight.
  • Large eye-bolts through double studs can provide convenient lock up points for bikes, snowmobiles, and garden tractors.
  • Disable Trailers
  • Block up the frame and pull a wheel.
  • Disassemble or lock the tongue
  • Lock the trailer to a tree
  • Lock a wheel to the frame so it can't turn.
  • On the road, if you're going to stop over night, chain your boat, bike, or snowmobile to the trailer and lock it.
  • Lock on of the safety chains to your car.

Skis

  • Make sure car top racks are locked.
  • If you have to leave the car unattended, park in a well-lighted and visible location where anyone tampering with the skis can be seen.
  • Power Equipment
  • Riding lawn mowers and garden tractors, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and ATV's should be disabled by pulling a spark plug, and removing the distributor rotor.

Bicycles

  • Don't skimp on the lock: 1) Heel and toe locking notches 2)hardened alloy steel is better than case hardened 3) for maximum security, the lock should have at least 5 tumblers.
  • Saving money on the chain or cable will also save time for the thief.
  • Chain it through the front wheel and bike frame.
  • Chain it to something that can't be easily cut through or dismantled.
  • Using Operation Identification and recording the serial number can be vital to recovering your bike if it's stolen.

Rifles and Shotguns

  • Keep it out of sight.
  • Store it in the most secure location.
  • Lock it up.
  • Remove a working part.
  • Store ammunition separately.

Canoes and Small Boats

Whether you store your canoe, fishing or hunting on supports in your garage or on horses in the back yard, lock it to something secure.

Identification

Marking your belongs will make them less attractive to a thief and much easier to recover if stolen.

Marking

Tents, tackle boxes, and other sporting goods can be easily and attractively personalize with stencils or paint and brush. Many manufacturers and suppliers will provide permanent name imprinting on such items as good cameras, golf clubs, and skis.

Operation Identification

Inscribe or stencil your driver's license number into all your recreational belongings. Advertising the fact that you have, with the window decals available from your law enforcement agency, will warn the potential thief that his work is cut out for him.

Millions of dollars worth of recovered stolen property is sold at auction annually because the owners cannot be determined from unidentified goods.

Inventory

Record the serial numbers of everything that has them. Gas powered equipment often has separate numbers for engine and frame. Record both. Include model numbers, color, and a good description. Photographs showing unique features can be a real aid in identifying your belongings.


Fremont North Neighborhood Council / Preventing Theft of Recreational Items / Webmaster