Haddonfield New Jersey 08033




Haddonfield New Jersey 08033
Borough of Haddonfield
Municipal Matters
Borough of Haddonfield   Borough of Haddonfield

Haddonfield Police Department

Don't be a Victim

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You can’t be 100% sure that you will never be a victim, but you can substantially decrease your chances. All it takes is a little bit of thought and a routine. There are steps to take to make your home, your car, and yourself safer.


Home Security:
How secure is your home? If you’re locked out of your home, can you still get in? Possibly through an unlocked window in the back, or by using an extra key hidden under a flowerpot on the front porch. If you can break into your home, so can a burglar! A small investment of time and money can make your home more secure. After you have installed all the proper locks on your doors and windows, don’t forget to use them! Did you know that thieves enter through an unlocked door or window in 32% of all residential burglaries? This means that you can significantly reduce your chances of becoming a victim by simply locking your doors and windows. While this won’t prevent all burglaries from occurring, it certainly will deter the opportunistic burglar from making your home his next target.

According to a study by the California Crime Technological Research Foundation, the most common techniques used by burglars to enter single-family homes are:

32.00% Through unlocked window or door
26.64% Forced entry by impacts
24.02% Prying or jimmying
6.79% Use of pass key or picking the lock
5.10% Entry attempted, but failed
5.45% Other or unknown1


Helpful Tips
Always lock your windows and doors when you go out, even if for only a few minutes. This includes locking the front door when you are out in the back yard.

Use a good quality deadbolt lock but more importantly use a high security strikeplate. Strikeplates that usually come with the lock are inadequate. The strike plate is the metal plate that attaches to the door jam that the deadbolt goes into when locked. This is the part of the lock which usually fails during a forced entry. The following web site has some good information on locks and strike plates: http://www.statefarm.com/learning/be_safe/home/burglary/learning_besafe_athome_doorlocks.asp

  • All windows should have two locks.
  • Place a wooden metal stick in all sliding door and window tracks or place a security pin (a large nail will also work) through the frame.
  • Keep the landscaping around your home trimmed down around doorways, windows and light fixtures.
  • Never leave a purse, wallet or other valuables in plain sight.
  • Keep your porch lights on dusk to dawn.
  • Give the same importance to garage doors as you would your front door. Make sure they are of a solid core construction and have a deadbolt lock.
  • All sliding glass doors and windows should be equipped with anti-lift protection.
  • Anti-lift protection can prevent your door or window from being lifted out of its track. A suspect can easily lift a window out of the track even if the window is locked. Install a security pin that slides through both frames securing the window in place or insert a minimum of two screws into the upper track or through the window frame.

Use several timers to turn on interior lights throughout your home.
To keep your valuables safe consider using a safety deposit box at your local bank.
Never keep your valuables such as jewelry in the master bedroom on top of your dresser. It is the first place a thief will look. Make it harder to find your valuables.
Never leave a house key available under a doormat, in a flowerpot, or on the ledge of a door. Burglars know that people hide keys there.
Keep an inventory of your valuables, including serial and model numbers when available. Pictures are also important in identifying your property if it is found by the police and for providing the information to your insurance company.
Install a peephole in your front door. NEVER open the door to someone you don't know!
Engrave your valuables with your New Jersey driver’s license number. This makes your property more difficult to pawn and helps law enforcement to identify your property, if it is recovered.
If you will be away for several days, have a trusted friend or neighbor pickup your paper and mail.
Talk to your neighbors! The best crime prevention device ever invented is a good neighbor.
Burglar alarms in addition to good locks and lighting add an extra measure of security.
Make sure that your address numbers are visible from the street both at night and during the day

According to a study by the California Crime Technological Research Foundation, the most common techniques used by burglars to enter single-family homes are (from most often used to least often used):

32.00% Through unlocked window or door
26.64% Forced entry by impacts
24.02% Prying or jimmying
6.79% Use of pass key or picking the lock
5.10% Entry attempted, but failed
5.45% Other or unknown


Vehicle Safety:
The number one way to keep your vehicle and property inside the vehicle safe is to lock your car. Vehicle windows are easily broken and defeated, but most vehicle burglaries are committed on unlocked vehicles. Most of these burglaries occur during the night time hours. Most criminals do not want to make noise by breaking the glass. So the Haddonfield Police Department is asking that you lock your vehicles. Also, do not leave valuables inside the vehicle such as laptop computers and brief cases.

  • Always lock you car doors and close windows, even if you're only going to be away from your vehicle for a moment (i.e., gas station or convenience store.)
  • Be sure vent or wind-wing windows are shut tight and locked. Professional thieves have tools that unlock cars through the smallest openings.
  • Never hide a spare key in or around your vehicle.
  • Always park in well-lighted areas.
  • Don't forget to lock tailgates, truck/shell covers or tool/storage boxes.
  • If you must keep valuables in your vehicle, make sure they are kept out of sight and well hidden. Place these items in the trunk if you must leave them in the vehicle.
  • This should be done before you arrive at your location. Radar detection devices and GPS units are popular stolen items and are easily fenced.
  • If you have a garage, park your locked vehicle inside.
  • When parking your vehicle outside of your garage, always remove your garage door opener from within the vehicle or conceal it.
  • If possible, park your car in a lot where you don't have to leave your keys
  • Never attach a tag to your key ring with your name and address on it. If your keys are lost or stolen the tag will lead the thief directly to your car and your home. If
  • you have to leave your keys with a parking attendant, leave only the ignition key.
  • Never leave a vehicle in an unattended public parking lot for an extended period. A car is five times more likely to be stolen from an unattended lot than from the street or attended lot.
  • When buying a car, check the manufacturer's list of anti-theft options, such as interior hood and trunk releases, locking steering columns, etc.
  • Consider the purchase and installation of security devices, such as:
  • A second ignition switch or "kill switch" to prevent an electrical current from reaching the coil distributor.
  • A fuel switch to prevent fuel from reaching the carburetor.


Personal Safety:
Generally, people have a sense of when something is wrong and when there is danger. You may not be able to articulate it but most people can feel it. It can be described as feeling the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. When that happens to you, take extra precautions and make mental notes about the events. Many victims will tell you that something just didn’t seem right and made them uneasy about a situation or a person. Listen to those feelings and take measures to protect yourself and call the police if needed. It may be nothing but it is better to be safe than sorry.


Stay Safe at Home
Install a peephole in your front door. NEVER open the door to someone you don't know! There are many criminals out there who try to take advantage of people by convincing them that they are not a threat and that they need help. The only help you should offer is to call the police for them to assist them. Have the person wait outside

  • Install exterior lights on timers that illuminate your doors and windows at night.
  • Ask to see the identification for any repairman or delivery person before opening your door. If you are suspicious, call to verify.
  • Never let a stranger know you're home alone, whether the person is at your door or on the phone.


Street Precautions

  • Know where you're going and the safest route to your destination.
  • Walk at a steady pace, with your head up. Look confident and avoid looking down at the ground.
  • Stay in well-lit areas and choose routes where other people will be walking. Walk with a friend whenever possible.
  • If someone is following you on foot, cross the street and head towards a busy area. If a vehicle is following you, turn around and walk in the opposite direction.
  • Carry a whistle or personal alarm. The noise may scare off an attacker.
  • Vary your route while jogging or biking. Avoid isolated areas and exercise with a friend whenever possible.
  • If you carry a purse, hold it securely between your arm and body or consider wearing a fanny pack.
Personal Safety Involving Vehicles

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Grateful acknowledgement to: Dan Holben for his photographs; Hoag Levins for his informative websites and graphics; David Hunter Alan Bauer for help with Municipal Matters; and Gwynn Walker DiPilla, for her copyrighted illustrations of Haddonfield. Haddy sculpture by John Giannotti.

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