Crime Prevention

The importance of home security can’t be overstated. Whether you live at your property full-time or go back and forth between your townhome and your vacation home, home security monitoring can protect your property, your family, and your peace of mind. It allows you to know who comes to your property, and be notified should someone seek to gain unlawful entrance to your residence. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity, so a good system will deter most would-be thieves.

Getting to know your neighbours can work wonders. They’ll be able to keep an eye on your property when you’re not around, and they can alert you or the proper authorities if they notice any strange activity taking place around your home. Living in an area where everyone looks out for everyone else will definitely keep you, and them, safer.

It goes without saying that you need to lock up your home when you’re away, but you should also do the same thing when it comes to your garage and storage sheds. Thieves know all of the best areas to look, so they will target places where you might store, for instance, your power tools or your small engine equipment. It might also make sense to put an alarm on your garage and sheds to serve as an extra deterrent for opportunistic criminals.

Your property needs to look lived in even when you’re away. If you have more than one vehicle, park one out in the driveway. Install automatic timers so that lights turn on and off at appropriate times. Ensure that your property is well maintained by ensuring that routine jobs, such as mowing the lawn, tending the garden, and picking up the mail, are done. This will obviously be much easier if you have a neighbour who can help out in this regard when you’re away.

Take other measures to make it hard for criminals to get inside your property. This can be accomplished by installing deadbolt locks, yard gates, and motion detection lights.

• License plate theft is also on the rise. Motorists should check their plates regularly to a.) make sure plates are still on the vehicle and b.) know your license plate number (take a picture!) so you can verify that your plate has not been swapped. Motorists should also ensure that all four bolts are tightly secured on the plate and have them replaced and/or tightened if needed, or even consider purchasing anti-theft license plate screws.
• Property owners are advised to take photos of their vehicles as well as have VINs on record. If you become the victim of motor vehicle theft these pieces of information can greatly aid in identifying and returning goods to the rightful owner (this goes for bicycles too!).
• Residents provide the RCMP with local intelligence. Members of the community know when there are strange vehicles in the area, suspicious behaviours being observed, or knowledge of attempted crimes. When the RCMP receives this information it assists with the deployment of resources.
• Residents are urged to secure their property – which applies to everything, not only vehicles. Keep an eye out for suspicious vehicles or activities and report those to police right away. If you encounter an individual on your property do not attempt to chase or subdue suspects. Get as much information as possible about a situation and call the police.
• The first step in protecting your valuables is to lock it up!
• Removing valuables from sight!
• The RCMP encourages members of the community to become part of your local Rural Crime Watch program or other crime prevention campaigns in the local area.

The Northern Sunrise Rural Crime Watch Association is part of the larger network of Alberta Rural Crime Watch Associations. They work with law enforcement to keep rural residents notified of suspicious activity while also providing an avenue to provide tips. Information is shared via email and those interested in joining the network should contact Corinna Williams here. For more information on the Rural Crime Watch program, please visit ruralcrimewatch.ab.ca.