“It was my own dumb fault.” Those were the words of my friend Isabelle as she told me the story of her luxury SUV being stolen from the driveway of her Columbine Country Club home. “I left my purse in the car with my keys in it,” she confessed. She went on to describe that she was lulled into a false sense of security living in her quiet, suburban, high-end neighborhood. She lamented, “I didn’t even think about the possibility of someone stealing my purse, much less my car, as I parked in the driveway for a few minutes.”
How often do we make it easy for criminals by creating an opportunity for them? Doors or windows left unlocked, valuables left in plain sight, alarm systems left disarmed, and keys left in vehicles. They are all examples of the many ways we make it easy for criminals to prey on us.
Why do we do those things? We are all guilty of falling into the same trap as my friend. We don’t like to think that there are bad people with bad intentions in our neighborhoods. As I explained to Isabelle, we all live and work in “safe” neighborhoods. If we didn’t think they were safe, we wouldn’t choose to live and work there! Yet the hard truth is no neighborhood is immune from crime. We need to remember that reality as we make the multitude of small decisions each day about how we secure our homes and businesses.
During a local Neighborhood Watch meeting in my own Highlands Ranch neighborhood following a rash of burglaries, the Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy leading the meeting shared this eye-opening observation about criminals. He explained, “They [criminals] are just like you and me. They get up and drive to work everyday. But their work is trolling through neighborhoods looking for opportunities.”
That is what we all need to remember. There are always bad guys out there driving through YOUR neighborhood looking for their opportunity to turn YOU into their next victim.
With that in mind, always follow these simple and easy security tips to avoid making your home or business an easy target:
1. Keep your doors and windows locked.
2. Store valuables out of sight.
3. Leave outdoor (and some indoor) lights on at night.
4. Trim bushes and trees to eliminate hidden areas.
5. Arm your alarm system whenever you leave or go to bed at night.
By doing these five simple things, you dramatically decrease your chances of becoming a victim of theft, burglary, or worse. We C.A.R.E. about your personal safety and peace of mind, so we hate hearing stories of clients who have become a crime statistic. Let’s all pledge to get back to executing these security basics so we don’t make it easy for the criminals to do their work.
We would be happy to perform a free Signature Security Survey of your home or business to point out security risks. Call us today at 303-721-0111 to speak to a C.A.R.E. Consultant.