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Boris the Burglar

Added by Danika Howard 4 on Feb 25th, 2026

Date

circa 1972

Format

Publishers

Boris the Burglar is the mascot for the U.S. National Neighborhood Watch program, a community initiative created for the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) around 1972. The logo is intended to signify a "safe area" and to deter crime, often featuring the character with a red slash across him suggesting that crime is not welcome in the area. The character is appears as a stereotypical burglar wearing a fedora hiding behind a trench coat. Some speculate there was influence by the cartoon character Boris Badenov from Rocky and Bullwinkle.

While the NSA owns the trademark, the specific designer is unknown.  The logo and character are registered trademarks of the National Sheriffs' Association. 

Tags

Boris the Burglar
Source: nnw.org