Crime Prevention

The truth is, crime can make way to any neighborhood, no matter how “safe” it is. In times of economic distress, people are even more concerned about rising crime in their communities. On the bright side, there are plenty of preventative measures one can take to protect his/her home, as well as the neighborhood. The steps could be as simple as keeping the doors locked, or be more complex like starting a neighborhood watch program with your community. Even though no place is immune to crime, team work with neighbors and family members can really make a difference to minimize it.

Keep in mind that neighborhood safety requires team effort. The following tips are great for keeping your own home and family safe, but also for fostering a safe community. If everyone in your neighborhood practices these simple tips and works together to be vigilant by looking out for each other, it can really help to ward off thieves and criminals -- making it a more enjoyable place to live.

Know the people within your

Know the people within your neighborhood.

Know the people within your neighborhood.K

Know the people in your neighborhood

Being able to recognize who lives in your neighborhood goes a long way in recognizing when there is a suspicious person in the area. Be aware of your neighbor's habits, such as when they are generally at work, if they have small children or teenagers, if they are elderly and may need extra assistance from time to time. This awareness will make the neighborhood a much tighter community, and everyone will be able to better prevent crime.

Keep your vacation dates off Social media

With social media being such a large part of our lives today, it's only natural to want to share the excitement of an upcoming vacation. However, by doing so, you are essentially setting yourself up as a target for burglars. Criminals in the past have relied on public social media proﬁles like Facebook and Instagram to stalk and intrude homes while residents are away.

Keep your neighbors informed

It's always smart to get to know your neighbors and get to a level where you can at least trust one of them. This is a good idea especially if you plan on being away for a few days or more. By giving a copy of your keys to a trusted neighbor, you can have them make sure everything is okay at home.

For Your Residence

Lock all doors and windows when leaving the house, including large dog doors and garage doors.
Leave your front porch light on at night and consider installing motion lights on the sides and back of house.
Don’t hide a key outside your home.
Keep laptop computers and other electronics put away and out of sight of windows and doors - keep list of all electronics with necessary info (e.g. make, model, serial #).
Keep jewelry put away and locked up.
Don’t go to the door if you’re not expecting anyone, or if you don’t recognize the person knocking – report to the Sheriff’s office if concerned.
Always set your alarm and keep your alarm company updated on any new phone #s.
Cut bushes that conceal your home.
Consider getting a locked mail box or PO Box.
Consider getting a home camera system as a cost-effective means of deterring crimes, and to potentially capture images of the actual crime suspect should the deterrent factor be inadequate.
Only hire licensed contractors who are bonded.

For Your Car

Always lock your car and DO NOT leave anything valuable inside (e.g. purse, cell, laptop).
DO NOT leave mail or your house keys in the car and keep a garage door opener out of sight.
DO NOT leave a hide-a-key on your car.
If you have a detached face plate on the stereo, take it with you – make sure you write down necessary info (e.g. make, model, serial #).

For Going on Vacation

Have the post office hold your mail and stop newspaper delivery; reroute any package deliveries.
Close blinds and drapes and set your alarm.
Don’t advertise that you will be away from home on social media (e.g. facebook, twitter).
Provide a trusted friend or neighbor with information about your trip (e.g. dates, phone number).
Sign up for vacation watch with the Sheriff’s office (415-479-2311).
Use timers to turn on and off lights and radios so that it looks like you are home. Consider varying the times that the lights go off in order make it look more believable that someone is home.
Store items of high value in a safe place (e.g. bolted safe).

Report suspicious people or activity in your neighborhood to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 415-479-2311. If you encounter a crime in progress, call 9-1-1.

Sign up for emergency alerts at www.alertmarin.org. Sign up for neighborhood alerts and community messages with Nextdoor.com. Follow us on our social media pages: Facebook @MarinCountySheriff, Twitter @MarinSheriff, Instagram @marinsheriff.

Content provided from www.Safehome.org and Marin County Sherrif