Most residential burglaries are the result of unsecured properties, says Anthony Fontenot, Discovery Bay crime prevention specialist, but simple procedures such as locking doors and windows and activating an alarm system can make all the difference in protecting your home and property.

Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity or persons in your neighborhood. People can be considered suspicious if they are:

• Going door-to-door in residential areas. Look for subjects checking to see if front doors are locked, especially when another subject remains near the street as a lookout.

• Non-residents going into the back or side yard of a house.

• Waiting in front of a house or business. This can be especially suspicious if owners are absent or the building is closed.

• Forcing entrance to, or tampering with a residence or vehicle.

• Running from the residence.

• Carrying property, especially at an unusual hour.

• Unfamiliar in the neighborhood or seem to have no purpose wandering about.

• Exhibiting unusual behavior.

If you have any questions or concerns in your neighborhood, call the Discovery Bay Sheriff’s Office at 925-634-0585.