Thunder Bay – LIVING – Protecting your property and your vehicle from thieves or vandals saves you time, money and frustration.
It’s been proven, time after time, that others notice what’s sitting in your driveway or on the street, in front of your house.
On social media over the past week have been a number of posts of people stealing Halloween decorations from people’s front yards. Closer to Christmas, it is likely we will start hearing about decorations and displays being stolen from people’s yards.
Thieves actually are even known to watch what you throw out.
That new box from an expensive television, or computer can make your home a target for a break and enter. After all, you are telling them you just got new stuff. A good practice if you are throwing the box out is to cut it up and take it to the recycling stations in the city.
Posting your vacation pictures on Social Media while you are away on holidays – tells criminals you are away. Leaving your mailbox full, your grass uncut, or as will be the case in only a few short weeks, your driveway covered in snow tells the world you are not home.
There are lots of things you can do, having trusted friends stay in your home while you are away is a way to keep your home safer.
Keeping your Home Safer
- Lock your windows and doors at all times; even when you leave briefly, are outside on your property, or inside your home. Also, keep your valuables in a safe or lockbox when you go out.
- Change passcodes on electronic locks and garage doors from time to time.
- Keep your windows covered and your garage locked so valuable items are out of sight.
- Install motion sensor lights, deadbolt locks and upgrade patio/sliding glass door locks.
- Trim shrubs and bushes to eliminate hiding spots, and never hide keys outside.
Many people keep a key outside, sometimes using fake rocks or other places they are convinced are safe. Remember thieves have experience too in many cases. They have likely seen the same ads for those fake rocks.
Keeping Your Car or Truck Safer
Sometimes people even go the extra step of checking out your vehicle to see if it’s locked, or if there might be some other way to just take your car/truck/SUV and drive it away.
While auto theft is not a new issue, new trends in this type of crime are worthy of a reminder to every vehicle owner to take the time to secure your vehicle and other property.
Some vehicles, like older model Honda and Acura cars are often targeted. This is because often, older vehicles may not share the same security features available in newer models, so owners of older-model vehicles may have to take a few extra steps to ensure their vehicles are properly secured.
So too are the contents of your vehicle. Sometimes it is as simple as keeping the change out of your vehicle’s cup holders.
Leaving things in your car, in the back seats brings thieves into your world, making your day stressful.
Any of these practices, or a combination, can help:
- Always lock your vehicle. Do not store extra keys, or keys to another vehicle, inside
- A steering-wheel locking device is a great deterrent to auto theft, both visually and functionally
- If you have a garage, park your vehicle inside and make sure the garage door is locked
- If you don’t have a garage, park in a well-lit location
- Use motion lights and video surveillance, if your budget allows. Have some signage to indicate you have video surveillance on your premises
- Be an observant neighbor. If you see something suspicious happening on your property or in your neighbourhood call the police
- If it looks like a crime-in-progress, call 9-1-1
- Lock up your trailer hitch
- Don’t leave your keys hanging on a key holder near a door or window
