Going on vacation? Protect your home

EDMONDS -- So far this year in Edmonds, there have been 114 home burglaries and on Thursday night dozens of residents packed a police safety meeting hungry for information on how to protect their homes.

Four or five months ago I had a bike taken right out of my garage while we were home,” said Edmonds resident Glenn Salmi.

Salmi says his sense of security has since vanished. He showed up to the police meeting hoping to learn how to think like a burglar to better protect his family.

“They are not doing it to get a car, they are not doing it to get a trip to Florida they are doing it to get a fix,” said Edmonds Police detective Brian McIntyre.

Edmonds police say most burglars strike to feed a desperate drug addiction.  Homeowners targeted often really want to know one thing.

“Why did you pick us; what did we do to you?” said Bellevue resident Diane Pottinger.

Pottinger believes thieves got into her house by using a garage door opener left in their unlocked car. Police say that is an open invitation for burglars who are simply looking for a crime of opportunity.

Lucky for Diane, police know what the burglar looks like.

“If you are going to have surveillance we recommend that it is a high-quality digital recording system,” said Bellevue Police spokesman Seth Tyler.

And that’s exactly what Diane has. She’s hoping the crisp images captured on her surveillance system will help catch the thief who stole thousands of dollars in jewelry.

“If you have jewelry don’t leave it in your master bedroom that is the first place crooks are going to look,” said Tyler.

Instead consider a safe that’s bolted to the ground.

“People think a 100 pound safe is going to be impossible to move it’s pretty easy for two crooks  to pick it up and bring it out to a vehicle,” said Tyler.

If a valuable doesn’t have a serial number, take a picture.

All small things that can make a big difference if a thief breaks into your home.

“Puts you on edge, makes you have eyes on the back of your head so it doesn’t happen to you or your neighbors,” said Salmi.