There have been a number of break-ins in our area in recent months. Many have involved vehicles. Some have involved homes. No one likes to be a victim of a break-in, and quite often, we find ourselves blaming law enforcement when these types of crimes occur. However, there are many things that we ourselves can do that may not stop these types of crimes, but can at least make it more difficult for these criminals to achieve their goal. We must be proactive—not reactive—to the problem.
The first and number one thing that you can do if you own a vehicle is lock the doors when you leave your vehicle unattended. Most of the vehicle break-ins that have occurred have been at vehicles whose doors are unlocked. Don’t leave the doors unlocked as thieves will see this as an open invitation go through your vehicle.
Keep windows and sunroofs closed when you are not with your vehicle.
Also, do not leave items of value in your vehicle. Take laptops, cell phones, GPS devices, purses, money, etc. inside. If you must leave them in your vehicle, don’t leave them in plain view.
Don’t leave packages or shopping bags in visible sight. Lock them in your trunk. Once you have locked them in your trunk, don’t just walk away leaving your vehicle unattended.
The same goes for pocketbooks and laptops. If you plan to leave them in your trunk, put them in there before you reach your destination. You never know who may be watching.
If you have an alarm system in your car, activate when you leave your vehicle unattended, but don’t rely on it to deter a burglar. It only takes a couple of seconds to snatch an item from a vehicle and run so while a car alarm can be a deterrent, it may not stop someone from taking that purse or item of value if it is left in plain sight.
Don’t leave a spare key in your vehicle. Keep it in your wallet or purse.
Our homes are also a big concern during times when many break-ins are occurring.
Again, keep the doors locked to your home. Lock your outside doors before you go to bed at night, and make sure they are locked when you leave your home even if you only plan to be away for a short time like a trip to the store, for example.
The same goes for windows. Make sure that your windows are locked when you are going to bed or if you are going to be away from your home. If you have windows that can be pinned, you may want to do so for added security. This can be done by drilling a 3/16″ hole on a slight downward slant through the inside window frame and about halfway into the outside frame. Then, put a nail in the hole to help keep the window secure. This is just an added safety precaution that some may wish to take.
Install a peep hole on your door if you don’t have one. Don’t open the door to people that you don’t know, and don’t let people inside your home to use to the phone, etc. that you don’t know.
Light up the outside of your home. Burglars don’t want to be seen.
Keep trees, bushes, and shrubs trimmed so burglars cannot hide behind them.
Keep garage doors closed and locked. Keep your garage door opener out of sight in your vehicle.
If you can invest in an alarm system, it may be a wise investment if you can afford it.
Keep barns, outside storage buildings, and the like locked. Also, don’t leave out bicycles, lawn mowers, or anything that a thief can easily take or that may attract a thief your yard.
Be a nosy neighbor. Report suspicious activity in your neighborhood to law enforcement. If you see a suspicious vehicle, give police a description of the vehicle and the license plate number if you can easily see it. If you see a suspicious person lurking around, call police. It may be perfectly innocent, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
If you have information about a crime, report it to police. Get involved.
If you are approached by someone, remember there is nothing in that purse or wallet worth losing a life over.
While the above tips may not prevent you from being a victim of a crime, they are just some common sense steps that may make it more difficult for a criminal to take advantage of you.  
Let’s do everything we can to not make ourselves a victim or an easy target.