With a 44 percent spike in commercial burglaries in 2013, police from the Bethesda-based 2nd District are hoping a slide show presentation will help business owners better secure their properties.
The burglaries — mostly overnight break-ins at retail, restaurant or office spaces — were way up compared to 2012. Capt. David Falcinelli, Commander of the 2nd District, attributed some of that large increase to a Prince George’s County man who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for three office burglaries. Police claimed he was responsible for a string of more than a dozen burglaries in White Flint and downtown Bethesda.
But commercial burglaries continued after the man was locked up, leading to the presentation that has been distributed through the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce:
Dear Business Owner:
In 2013, while crime went down in most categories, the 2nd District experienced a significant increase in burglaries and thefts from businesses. There is a term in policing called “hardening of the target” which basically means that procedures are implemented to prevent or greatly reduce the chances of your business from becoming the victim of burglary or theft. This presentation is a valuable source of information to teach you how to “harden the target” for your business. The police do need your help, as you are our eyes and our ears, and we are most effective when we work together.
Please take the time to review the presentation. If you have additional questions, the contact information for my community services officers is included near the end of the presentation.
Thank you for doing your part to reducing crime in the 2nd District.
Captain David Falcinelli
The presentation includes information on what burglars look for in a target — properties accessible to alleys, near major roads and with weakened building materials that may make breaking in easier.
It also suggests a number of deterrents, including double cylinder dead bolt locks on glass paneled doors, GPS tracking devices and pull-down metal gates or doors.
[Commercial Burglary Prevention]
