The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-07-04
HOUSE PR0WLING
TIME IS NOW HERE
Harry Saunders, Detec-
tive, Talks of the
Police Bane
gMANY HOUSES VACANT
Vacationists Can Be Of Assist
ance to Department, Po-
lice Officer Says

House prowlers are now the chief
cause OF worry OF the police depart
ment. according to Harry Saunders,
police detective. the oldest man in
term OF years of employment on the
local force. The house prowler, he
saws. is not only the bane OF the local
police department at the present
time but Of police departments all
over the United States
Vacation time is here" Saunders
Said yesterday while telling OF the
cause and prevention OF house rob-
berries, "and the annual sporadic out
break OF house burglaries has
started. Police departments in every
large city in the country are perfect
Ing plans TO reduce to a minimum
the ransacking OF houses and espe-
cially OF residences made vacant duo
to the absence OF owners who are on
vacations.
Every spot OF large city and
every house in q city cannot be COW
cred nor individually watched by n
police department, due naturally 20
the limited number OF men. There
fore IL is impossible TO absolutely
stop house robberies but Il Is posi-
BILE 20 reduce them. The vacationist
can be OF great aid in this work.
"A patrolman on n beat OF 8 to IS
blocks naturally cannot keep his eye
on every house on that beat every
lminute he Is on duty. While making
Els rounds he is away kAom certain
parts OF his beat for severk minutes.
And during these absences robberies
often occur. Improper guarding of
private residences is large con-
tributor to burglaries.
Many OF the more private resi-
dences are connected with burglar
alarm system which sounds an
alarm at police headquarters or u
private agency whenever @ door is
open or n window raised. Thus a
robbery ts easily frustrated. Other
homes have private watchmen.
Where the alarm system IL installed
or private watchmen employed the
probability of robbery Is reduced
TO minimum. In fact robberies of
such places seldom occur. However.
in the outlying districts whore no
guards are employed and no alarm
system used, the police are greatly
handicapped.
THE layman. naturally enough,
believes that all house robberies oc-
cur at night. This is not. true. As
a matter OF fact the biggest house
lootings during the last year or so
have occurred in daylight. When It
Is understood that during the sum
mer months police departments
place most OF their men on night
duty and make the day shift short
handed and also that no watchmen
are on duty as a rule during the day,
these big rooberies are easily ex-
plained. However. the big house
robbery Is just about a thing OF the
past. After all is said and done
there IS a risk TO the robber and fhe
chances of being caught overbai-
ance the profit that might he gained.
This is especially true when more
profit Hes in other lines OF crime.
Many of the professional house
robbers possess a keen intelligence.
They BATTLE the shrewdest detectives.
The finger print system OF identifi-
cation has proven the greatest aid in
arrestlnE house robbers, as well as
other forms OF criminals. But the
keenest OF criminals often make n
mistake and II is usually the one
mistake that leads 10 their arrest.
The mode OF operation of the
mouse robber varies from pass keys
10 Jimmy bars A large assortment
OF pass keys Will usually open any
lock made. The Jimmy proves eff
fectlve in forcing open doors and
through second story windows that
were left unlocked because Il was
thought TO be safe.
various strong boxes and other
scientific attachments have been
made to prevent burglaries but there
Is no burglar-proof strong box or
safe made that can not be opened
oy high class pete man II he ia
glyen time enough. My advice 10
v"ationists Is to put their valuablea
IN bank; employ a reliable watch
man or have trustworthy people oc-
cupy the house; have the most i'm
proved locks on doors and windows.
pace heavy screens over rear glass
doors and windows and above ali
report their absence from the city
70 the police department, giving full
particulars as to who is supposed
70 be In. on and around the premises
una the place where they (the
oWner) can be reached.
Such precautions, / believe. will
tehd 10 greatly lessen house robber-
Ies. AS have before said. robberles
.ahnot be absolutely stopped but
tney can be greatly lessened."