Look back just one year ago and recall that falling victim to property crimes was the foremost public issue among most lakeside inhabitants.
That changed once the Covid-19 pandemic hit. As fears of the disease rose and residents began sheltering at home, reports of break-ins quickly diminished. One likely reason is that burglaries of properties are commonly identified as crimes of opportunity, perpetrated when thieves observe that householders are absent from their abodes.
Although current circumstances may have slowed down the incidence of burglaries, that is no reason to let down your guard. On the contrary, the dawn of the new year is a good time to evaluate and enhance security measures to protect your home and valuables.
You might start by checking accesses to your property such as surrounding walls, fences, gates, doors and windows. Are there ways to make them less vulnerable to intruders? Would trimming adjacent trees and bushes, adding razor wire, thorny plants and other sharp materials, and installing strong locks or iron bars make the place more impenetrable?
Crime prevention experts rank closed-circuit camera systems and motion-activated outdoor lighting as the most effective tools to keep burglars at bay. However, break-ins often occur in daylight hours when occupants leave home for work or routine activities, or even go out briefly to run errands or enjoy a restaurant meal.
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