BOISE, Idaho — Police are searching for a man accused of trying to get into a woman's house in Boise Thursday night.
The victim called police at 10:24 p.m. saying a man had just tried to break into her home near Walnut Street and Warm Springs Avenue.
She reported that she had heard a noise and noticed her front door was ajar. The woman said she grabbed a gun and went to the door, where she saw a man on her porch.
The woman fired one shot at the man, and he ran away down the street, according to Boise Police. Investigators say it does not appear the bullet struck him.
Officers found evidence that the man had used a prybar to break into the home. Boise Police searched the neighborhood using a K-9 police dog and drone, but did not find the suspect.
Investigators do not have a good description of the man, and are asking any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. In addition, anyone who lives in that area who has a home surveillance system is asked to contact police.
Boise Police released the following list of crime prevention tips for residents to protect themselves:
- Install quality locks on doors and windows and use them. Lock and close your doors and windows even when you're home. Do not rely on thumb-turn locks on windows, as they can be unlocked through a broken window. A good quality deadbolt should be installed on every exterior entry door no matter how friendly your neighborhood is, make it a habit to check for locked doors each time you leave the house and go to bed.
- Trim shrubs around doors and windows so burglars don't have a sheltered place to work. High or overgrown landscaping like bushes, shrubs and trees can offer an intruder a place to hide and conceal a break-in.
- Install peepholes on exterior doors and any interior door between the garage and house.
- Consider timers hooked up to indoor lights, as well as radios or televisions to give your home that lived-in appearance.
- Close shades, drapes and other window treatments while you're away to keep potentially tempting household items out of view.
- Do not leave your garage door open or unlocked if you are not in the immediate area.
- Pay attention to suspicious activity or anything that appears out of place. Immediately report any and all suspicious activity by calling your local 24-hour non-emergency number or 911 in the event of an emergency.
- If you have an alarm, set it.
- Lighting is one of the best deterrents to nighttime burglary. Indoor and outdoor lighting is important; install lights by all exterior doors and make bulbs hard to reach. Motion sensor lights are often a good choice for side or backyards.
- Beware of solicitors. Door-to-door salespeople have a business license or permit issued by the City -- always ask to see it for verification.
- Don't let strangers into your home—this includes workers and others—if you are not with them.
- Never give keys to people making improvements to your home.
- Photograph your valuables and engrave your property with a form of identification, such as your driver's license number.
- Have locks changed or re-keyed when moving into a new home or apartment.
- Install track-type locks, drop bars, wooden dowels, or pinning devices on sliding glass doors.
- "Harden" your doors. All entry doors should be solid wood or steel-wrapped wood-core doors.
- Join or establish a Neighborhood Watch. Getting to know your neighbors can be beneficial for your home’s security.