Some believe Crime Pays.  Yes, sadly those who steal from us, damage our property, rob our stores, sell drugs to our friends, all believe it’s worth violating a stranger for some material or emotional gain.  It causes us, the victims, to be scared, tentative, violated and unsure of ourselves and our surroundings. As I look back at some of the crimes solved this year by Silent Observer tipsters, I believe some of these crimes could have been prevented. So I want to remind you of a few basic crime prevention rules that might save you from someone with criminal intent.

1. Lock your doors and close your garage especially at night and when you are away.  No one has the right to enter our home without permission but if we remember to make it hard for strangers to gain entry, they will go on their way to find an easier target.  Remember, perpetrators don’t want to be seen or heard so using your outside lights at night and making it difficult to enter your home is paramount.
2. If you have a keyless remote for your vehicle with an alarm function, why not sleep with it.  That way if you hear someone trying to break in, you can simply hit the alarm button which will surely wake up your neighbors and scare the perpetrator away.
3. Lock your car and hide your valuables. Make it hard for someone to steal electronics, packages and personal items from your car.  Don’t tempt someone looking for a way to make fast cash by leaving your your phone, wallet and laptop on your seat. Put them away either in your trunk or cover them with a blanket so they aren’t in full view.  The bottom line is never leave valuables in your car.
4. The first step in crime prevention is getting to know your neighbors. That way, you will usually know when something looks suspicious occurring in your neighborhood like people, cars and sounds that don’t belong and causes you concern.  Our neighborhoods are much safer when people decide to pick up the phone and report suspicious situations to police. Take action by carefully observing, recording what you see and reporting it immediately, not tomorrow, but immediately to police.  Remember, the police would rather be called and not needed, than needed and not be called.