The number of home burglaries per year in north Seattle has decreased in the last few decades, but it's still a major problem, according to officers from the city's Northwest Police Precinct.

A few decades ago, about one in 30 homes were burglarized every year in the north end of the city, now it's around one in 60, said Neil Hansen, crime prevention coordinator for the northwest precinct.

Katie Hernan, a detective specializing in juvenile crimes, said the police have solved only a fraction of the burglaries in the north end this year, about 10 percent.

Hernan and Hansen joined officers Dianne Newsom and Gary McNulty at a community workshop on burglary prevention last week. The meeting drew about 40 residents and was sponsored by the crime watch group Greenwood Aurora Involved Neighbors.

Hansen, who helps organize block watch groups, said one of the best ways to protect yourself from a burglary is to get to know your neighbors.

"Get involved so everyone is on the same page..." he said.

Most burglars are young, white men in their teens to early 20s and burglaries typically occur during the day or early evening, said Hansen. The standard method is to knock on the door to see if anyone is home. If the burglar doesn't get an answer, they either kick in the door or go around to the back or sides of the house to break in.

If you are home, it's best to answer the door or speak through the door without opening it. Often that's enough to deter any further action by a thief, Hansen said

The officers also recommended that people keep all doors and windows locked, preferably with high-end deadbolt locks. About 50 percent of the time thieves get in through open or unlocked doors and windows, said Hansen.

Hernan described two types of burglars. There's the "opportunistic" thief who gets in through the convenience of an unlocked door or window and makes out with smaller items, such as laptops and jewelry. Then there are the "planned hits." These people have probably been in the home before, eyeing what they want.

Often they are a supposed "friend" of someone who lives there, said Hernan.

"What happens to the stolen property?" someone asked.

Much of it winds up on Internet auction sites like Craig's List and EBay. It's a quick and easy way to get rid of the property and make money, said Hernan.

One victim even bought her camera back on Craig's List after it was stolen from her home, said Hernan.

"(Thieves) don't need (identification) to sell things (online)," she said. "Those places are mostly uncontrolled pawn shops."

McNulty, who's had 38 years of experience with the Seattle Police Department, said many stolen items are never recovered to the owners because people don't take pictures of their valuables or write down serial numbers.

Don't leave items in plain view of windows, and if you have a safe, make sure it's bolted to the floor, he said.

"It won't do you much good if they can just pick it up," McNulty said.

Safes bought at retail stores can easily be cracked, so invest in a high quality one, said Hansen. Another option is a safe deposit box, which can cost as little as $30 a year.

These measures are a bit more expensive than the sock drawer, but thieves become skilled at finding where valuables are hidden, said Hernan.

"These people are doing this day in and day out," she said. "You don't think they become experts at it? Absolutely."

Home alarm systems are also good anti-theft tools, but about 90 percent of house alarm calls are false alarms, mostly because of a generic or poorly installed product, said McNulty.

A woman asked if having a dog provided a false sense of security. McNulty said animals can be easily bribed with food and treats, or some burglars just kill the animals.

Another woman, who said she lives alone, asked if she should be worried about being physically harmed by a burglar. Hernan said physical violence is rare in home burglary cases.

While police seem to be making progress with home burglary prevention, auto theft is on the rise in the city. There are two to three times more auto thefts than burglaries in the north end, said Hansen.

Most auto thefts happen overnight. Police often catch auto thieves but they usually don't spend a lot of time in jail, due to high standards of proof required to prosecute and overcrowding in jails, said McNulty.

A highly effective and inexpensive tool for car theft prevention is steering wheel blocking devices, such as The Club, McNulty said. The officers also suggested car alarms with ignition disablers and motion lights.

But most of all don't leave valuables in your car, said Hernan.

"They don't care, they'll smash your windows for a bag of garbage (if they think it's something worth money). They have nothing better to do than sit and wait and watch," she said, noting that most thieves are stealing to fund drug habits.

McNulty encouraged people to call 911 if they see someone suspicious in the neighborhood. It's hard for the police to notice every abnormal activity, especially because the north precinct is "extremely short handed," he said.

Mayor Greg Nickels recently announced a plan to hire 105 new officers citywide over the next five years with the goal of decreasing response time and allowing officers more time to work on crime prevention instead of running from one 911 call to another.

Closer to home, one of the most proactive moves a citizens can do to prevent crime in their neighborhood is to start or join a block watch, said Hansen.

One man said since he joined a block watch on his street, he's gotten to know his neighbors and he's never felt safer.

"That's made a huge difference on our block for sure," he said. "Just being able to say hello to your neighbors and know you are looking out for each other..."

To start a block watch in your area, contact Neil Hansen at 684-4689 or neil.Hansen@seattle.gov.

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com