While investigators continue to pursue leads into a relatively new cold case of burglary, the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents and businesses to take steps to avoid becoming the victim.

Over the President’s Day weekend, Feb. 13-14, a break-in occurred at the Lockwood Business Center at 9007 Atlee Station Road in Mechanicsville.

Lt. Glenn Schneider said the building “had an exterior door they (culprits) were able to get through and then they forced entry into several businesses inside.” Petty cash, digital cameras, “little small things you can carry out of there” were taken.

At the time of the break-in, officers with the Crime Prevention unit went to the scene where they addressed issues with the exterior door. “We haven’t had any problems down there since,” Schneider said.

Deputy Barry Bland, who serves as crime prevention specialist with the Sheriff’s Office, said they recommended restricting access during the weekend and implemented security measures.

As for entry to the Lockwood building, Investigator Matt Ratchford said there were no pry marks.

Officers did find prints, which were run through the Automated Fingerprinting Identification System (AFIS).

Investigator Kevin LaPlaga is working with Ratchford on the Lockwood Business Center case. Anyone with information pertaining to the burglary is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 365-6140. The website is www.hanoversheriff.com.

With the investigation into the Lockwood incident continuing, Bland offered several prevention tips for residents and businesses. He also explained a security assessment the Crime Prevention unit provides.

“What we’re trying to do is not make a home or a business look like a fortress but at the same time we’re trying to fortify or make recommendations on how to fortify your valuables and your property,” Bland said. “One of the things that we look at in a security assessment is doorways, because statistics show that more people will break in through a doorway.

We recommend that people have on their doorways at least a one-inch dead bolt lock and that they use a heavy strike plate on the door frame that includes at least a three- to three-and-a-half-inch long screw.”

He also said they recommend “a long screw that will reach into the stud in the wall adjacent to the frame so when someone tries to kick the door—especially if they have one in the standard lock plate and they have one in the dead bolt plate. Four heavy screws holding that in place reduce the opportunity for them to gain entry. Hopefully that will cause them enough frustration that they will feel it’s time to leave instead of making noise or possibly be seen.”

A solid metal or solid wooden door is recommended by Bland. With that comes the need for “a wide angle peephole so that they can make a decision as to whether or not they’re going to open the door for someone outside asking to enter.”

For doors with glass in them or around them, Bland said his unit recommends using a double cylinder key lock instead of a thumb latch lock, “which is very typical.” He also said a key should be placed “at least 40 inches away from the door lock lower to the floor, in case there’s a fire or another emergency where people have to escape.”

“For people that have sliding glass doors,” Bland recommended “that they place screws in the tracks. Not to obstruct movement of the door but to obstruct movement from the outside and removing the opportunity to gain entry.”

“Recess screws in the track groove,” he added, “and tighten them down tight enough so the door will continue to move and slide, but won’t lift up.”

To restrict the door from opening, he said use a piece of wood or a broom handle, “so that a person looking at the location will know that the door has been fortified.”

Bland said lighting is one of the most economical forms of security for home or business. “Lighting provides good surveillance of one’s property for them to see what’s going on. It also provides good surveillance for neighbors or passersby to see suspicious activity as well.

“We recommend timers for lights on the inside that are set to turn on and off during times they would normally be on or off when you are not on the property or at home. Dusk-to-dawn sensors for lights and motion sensor lights are also recommended for the exterior. They only come on when necessary and aid in detecting suspicious activity as well.”

Bushes are another issue. Bland said they should “be kept no higher than 24 inches in height and trimmed away from the building to reduce hiding places and increase surveillance.” Tree canopies should be kept no less than five to six feet “so people can see into a business and people from the business can see out.” “You want your privacy, but you want it to be fortified,” Schneider said.

Wooden frame windows should “be drilled and penned, which is drilling a hole between where the two windows come together in the center in the side of the glass.” He urged “drilling at a downward angle and putting a nail in the hole, not a screw, in order to keep that window from being lifted. If there is an emergency that you have to escape you don’t have to worry about finding a screw driver—you can just pull the nail out.”

Identification also is a key to security for businesses and homes. Bland said businesses and homes should “make sure that they identify all of their property.” Operation Identification through the Sheriff’s Office helps in marking or engraving valuables. Engravers are available, as well as permanent invisible ink markers.

Participating in a Neighborhood Watch organization is encouraged. “Statistics show that communities with Neighborhood Watch are less likely to have as much criminal activity and we have better prosecution. People are willing to stand up and do what we ask of a Neighborhood Watch, which is report suspicious or unusual activity and not to be a vigilante but eyes and ears for law enforcement. They know what belongs and what doesn’t belong (in a community).”

“Lock your vehicles and lock your garages and storage sheds when they’re not in use,” Bland said. Based on reports the Sheriff’s Office has taken, 85 percent of the larceny from vehicles are from those that are left unlocked.

Residents who are not going to be home for more than a day are urged to inform a neighbor or the Sheriff’s Office “so that their house can be watched.” Deputies will place the address on house watch to check during patrols. “If they find anything that looks out of place, they will notify the resident or whoever is designated to find out if in fact there is something wrong,” Bland said.

Security assessments are offered free of charge “to allow people to know what they should be doing to improve safety and security in their surroundings.”

More than 400 businesses, particularly banking and retail, take part in the Business Watch program. “We communicate current crime information and crime trends to them to let them know to be prepared,” Bland said. “We offer safety and security programs for businesses and residents upon request.”

“What we’re looking for is other eyes and ears that are able to see things out in the community because we can’t be at all the places at the same time,” Schneider said of the business/residential programs.

Bland agreed: “We depend heavily on good relationships with the citizens and business community, because it fosters open communication and valuable information – even small amounts.”

“What seems insignificant to them may be the piece we’re looking for to solve a crime,” Schneider said. “We’ve got the whole picture and that may be the one little piece that allows us to say this all makes sense now.”

In saying the Sheriff’s Office welcomes the calls, Schneider said, “Nothing is too trivial.”

The non-emergency number is 365-6140, but, Bland said, “If it is something that needs to be reported and you can’t remember the non-emergency number, use 911 – it won’t prevent another person from being able to use 911. We have more 911 lines and every call will be answered.”

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