News Flash Home
The original item was published from 3/8/2017 8:59:27 AM to 5/2/2017 12:00:02 AM.

News Flash

News Releases

Posted on: March 8, 2017

[ARCHIVED] Close garage doors while mowing the lawn

push-lawn-mowing-in-spokane small.jpg

March 8, 2017

Don’t get clipped while mowing your home’s back yard

Open garage doors can be a unrestrained invitation

MURPHY (March 8, 2017) The rhythmic drone of lawn mowers will soon fill the air on weekends as spring brings area lawns back to life.  Those familiar rumblings, though, could also be signaling opportunities for people with bad intentions.

                “People who care for their own lawns will often get up early on a Saturday, open up the garage door, pull out the lawn mower, and get busy,” says Police Chief Arthur “Trey” Cotten.  “In their haste, they will leave the garage door open, leaving their belongings vulnerable to roaming thieves.”

                The brazenness of some people as they go about the “business” of theft cannot be taken lightly.  There have been instances of lightning-fast burglaries, where the homeowner is completely unaware of it until days later. 

                “We can sometimes trace these burglaries back to the weekend mowing, when the open garage door served as an open invitation,” said the Chief.

                Lawn equipment, power tools, bicycles, small appliances and other equipment taken from garages can be quickly and easily sold at pawn shops or “fenced” in areas not far from Murphy.

                Maintaining vigilance of personal equipment, even during short periods like when mowing the lawn, can prevent such losses.     

                “The simple act of closing the garage door while mowing the back yard can serve to discourage thieves,” he said.  “In addition, an open garage door allows for some burglars to ‘case’ a home for a possible burglary later.”

                A sure sign of such activity is the slow, and often repeated, driving of an unfamiliar vehicle in the area.  And, while not all unfamiliar cars are occupied by criminals, the experience of police shows that people with bad intentions feel emboldened because residents are hesitant to report them.

                “Alert citizens are our best line of defense,” said the Chief.  “A report of a suspicious vehicle or persons in the neighborhood can lead to the break we might be seeking.”

###

Facebook Twitter Email

Other News in News Releases

Christmas in the Park

Have your ELF a Merry Little Christmas

Posted on: December 1, 2023
Toy-Drive-graphic

Fire Department sponsors annual toy drive

Posted on: November 14, 2023
PNG for Edits do not use on page

Christmas in the Park set for Dec. 7

Posted on: November 9, 2023
murphy connect

Phone app eases resident reporting

Posted on: September 14, 2023