I’m like most other people when it comes to crime statistics. When crime rates go down, I am happier. But I’m also smart enough to know that low crime rates do not eliminate the need for vigilance. As a homeowner, I need to be just as vigilant about security regardless of what the crime data show.
Vigilance begins with admitting that crime will always be an issue. Once a homeowner accepts that, he can start assessing his property in search of vulnerabilities. Identifying vulnerabilities leads to coming up with solutions. Each solution makes a homeowner less vulnerable.
The net effect of increased vigilance among homeowners is lower crime rates. By diligently securing our homes and actively working to deter criminals, we do just that. But it’s like anything else. The moment we collectively let our guard down is the same moment that crime rates start climbing again.
Everyone Is Potentially Vulnerable
Vigilance also requires understanding that everyone is potentially vulnerable. I bring that up due to a recent blog post published on the Vivint Home Security website. Vivint is a nationally known provider of home security and smart home technology.
The post in question discusses the safest and least safe cities in America during the annual holiday season. Given that the 2024 holiday season is now a recent memory, I found the post rather fascinating. Vivint ranked the cities in their post based on crime data from the 2023 season.
According to their data, here are the 5 safest cities between November and January:
- Tampa, Florida
- Boise, Idaho
- Miami, Florida
- Gilbert, Arizona
- Plano, Texas
The 5 least safe cities are:
- Oakland, California
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Memphis, Tennessee
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
It’s important to note that Vivint looked at a range of crimes in order to compare the frequency of each one per 100K residents. They looked at larcenies, robberies, motor vehicle thefts, and more. Their data seems pretty solid on the surface.
I bring up all of this to underscore that people in each of these 10 cities are vulnerable regardless of local crime rates. Tampa may be the safest holiday city in terms of larcenies, but residents are still victimized at a rate of 34.3 per 100K residents.
So Many Crimes of Opportunity
Home security vigilance also requires an understanding that so many crimes are crimes of opportunity. In other words, criminals are out and about looking for victims they can take advantage of. They don’t necessarily plan to hit a particular house or rob a specific individual. Instead, they look for opportunities among the easiest targets.
Imagine your own home and its potential for burglary. Also imagine a burglar walking through your neighborhood casually looking at houses. As he walks down your street, he notices you have left the garage door open. He suddenly has an opportunity. Your house immediately jumps to the top of the list because of that open garage door.
What does this suggest? It suggests that limiting opportunities limits the likelihood of being victimized. Avoid giving criminals an easy opportunity and you send them looking for another target. That’s just human nature.
Common sense would dictate that an entire community going out of its way to limit opportunities would be a safer community. That community should have a lower crime rate than a neighboring community where no such efforts are undertaken. But again, if the safer community lets its guard down, it will not remain safer for very long.
What It Means to You
So, what does all of this mean to you? It means your best defense against crime isn’t low crime rates. It’s your own vigilance. It is your own willingness to take the necessary steps to protect yourself, your family, and your property. You have plenty of options for doing so.
1. Security at Home
At home, effective security starts with strengthening your home against unauthorized intrusion. That means installing heavy duty deadbolt locks and supplemental window locks. After that, put a security lock on the garage door. Then:
- Install motion sensitive lighting.
- Trim the landscaping to provide a clear view.
- Keep your home’s exterior neat, tidy, and clean.
One last thing you can do at home is install a monitored home security system. Vivint Smart Home is just one company that offers professionally installed and monitored systems. You can also choose a DIY system that you’ll either monitor yourself or turnover to a monitoring provider.
2. Security Away From Home
Although security at home is a great place to start, don’t neglect your security away from home. You are just as vulnerable – and perhaps even more so – when you are away from the familiar home environment.
Here are some classic tips:
- Pay Attention – You are most vulnerable to crime when you aren’t paying attention. So whenever you are away from home, make sure you are aware of your surroundings. Know what is going on around you.
- Put Away the Phone – Hand-in-hand with paying attention is putting away the phone. Your phone makes you vulnerable if being glued to the screen prevents you from being aware of your surroundings. And of course, your phone itself is a potential target for thieves.
- Travel in Numbers – When you go out for a night on the town, go with friends. Travelling in numbers increases everybody’s security. You are less likely to be targeted in a group.
- Park in Well-Lit Areas – Parking in well-lit areas it’s another good idea when you’re out and about at night. Well-lit areas are less tempting to thieves and muggers.
- Lock Your Car – It goes without saying that you should lock your car whenever you are not in it. An unlocked car is an open invitation to thieves.
Less crime means lower crime rates. And like most people, I consider lower crime rates good news. But I also understand that I need to do my part to keep the numbers low. I need to be vigilant about maintaining my own security.
