Last week a Snoqualmie Ridge home in the Cascade neighborhood was burglarized during the afternoon, while the homeowner was gone for just a short time, through an unlocked door. The high value loss incident is currently under investigation.
The Snoqualmie Police Department says this is a good time, especially as the holiday season is upon us, to remind residents of important safety tips to prevent becoming a burglary victim.
Residential Burglary Prevention
When it comes to your home, police can’t stress enough the importance of locking all doors – even when you leave 
for just a short time. Also, don’t forget to close your garage door, even when you are in the home. And if you have an alarm system, arm it when you exit and when you go to sleep for the night – and have it monitored.
Other tips include installing good exterior lights and leaving them on during the night; install deadbolts on exterior doors; don’t hide spare keys outside of your home; cover garage windows and keep doors closed so no one can see when your car is gone.
For other tips visit the Snoqualmie Police Departments Burglary Prevention Page
Car Prowl Prevention
When it comes to our cars, police offer these important tips. They also remind us that as it is the holiday season, to to conceal presents stored in vehicles, especially while at shopping malls. And if you hear something suspicious (shattering glass) or see someone looking into vehicles, call 911
- Park in a garage or a well-lit area whenever possible
- Lock the ignition and doors and roll up all windows
- Car alarms are convenient and effective; avoid isolated areas
- Park near locations frequently used by pedestrians
- Install and use removable stereo-electronic equipment and a portable GPS
Package Theft
This is the time of year when local police departments start receiving more reports of packages stolen from front 
porches, which happened multiple times last year in the Snoqualmie Valley.
At that time, the City of Snoqualmie suggested residents call the Police Department at 425.888.3333 or 911 to report suspected package thefts, stating calling 911 would immediately send an officer to make a report of the incident – 24/7.
Snoqualmie Police Captain Nick Almquist commented last December that without immediate notification of these types of porch thefts, the suspects are rarely caught.
Some Ways to Avoid Front Porch Package Theft
- Have packages delivered to a location where they can be personally received – like a neighbor or relative’s home or to your work.
- For online purchases, if the stores provides a scheduled delivery time, chose one when you are home.
- If available, use the online retailers’ delivery alerts to be notified when the package arrives at your home so you can immediately bring it inside – or ask a neighbor to grab it for you until you get home.
- Ask the delivery company to hold your package at their nearest pick-up facility.
- Request the shipper require a signature confirmation for delivery – this forces UPS or FedEx to deliver only when someone is home to sign for the package.
- Give the delivery company instructions on where to place the package in order to keep it out of sight from the road or your front yard.
