WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A man is dead after a home invasion in the south end of West Palm Beach. Police are now urging neighbors to be cautious and aware.
Along the 500 block of Avon Road, you don’t see too much traffic, just a few people walking every so often.
But around 4 a.m. Saturday, police said a man broke into a home through a window and turned on the bedroom light which woke up a couple at the home. After a confrontation, police said one of the residents shot the man who later died at the hospital.
"Honestly, like, it’s definitely scary. I think people should be able to protect themselves and you know thankfully the homeowner is OK," a neighbor said.
That neighbor said a few months ago, he saw someone looking through his car on surveillance footage at his home.
"I bought extra cameras and I had anything pointed them out," the neighbor said.
Now police are hoping to alert the public on how to prevent something like this from happening. Simple tips include locking your home and car, setting an alarm, and having surveillance cameras outside.
Seth Buxton is a crime prevention specialist for the city. He showed me how a nearby home is well-protected against a crime of opportunity
"His landscaping here follows what we call the roughly 2-foot, 6-foot rule," Buxton said. "Two feet or under for the ground cover and six feet or higher for trees. That way there’s a visual visual sight line."
Impact windows, surveillance cameras, or even dogs can be a deterrent.
"Not only for protection but also just to alert you," Buxton said.
But Buxton said the biggest deterrent is lighting
"If there’s one thing a homeowner can do or even a business owner is have sufficient lighting," Buxton said.
Still, crimes like break-ins can happen anywhere.
"These simple and inexpensive things will definitely make your house, yourself, and your neighborhood safer," Buxton said.
The identities of the couple and the intruder have not been released. The investigation is still ongoing.
