Property Crime in Columbus
Columbus has one of the highest crime rates in the entire country. Your chance of being a victim of violent or property crimes is 1 in 12. This means that only 3% of all US cities have a worse crime rate than Columbus. When we dig deeper into the data, we find that a large chunk of these are property crimes. Columbus residents have a 1 in 16 chance of being a victim of property crime, equaling about 63 incidents per every 1,000 population. Some of the most common property crimes are burglary, robbery, breaking and entering, and criminal trespassing. It’s almost impossible to predict where a criminal will strike, but there are measures that you can take to prepare your home for that situation.
5 Steps to Protect Your Home
1. The first thing to do is conduct an initial scan of your house. Burglars are tempted by simple things like open doors, open windows or a tree house located close to a second floor window. As evidenced by the statistics, burglars are going to burglarize no matter what. Search your home for anything that will invite their unwanted attention.
2. Assess your security risks. Do you live in a high property crime neighborhood? Has anyone else on your block been burglarized? What vulnerabilities does your home have? From here, determine the proper level of security that you need to acquire. If necessary, contact a security services company to provide a home consultation. They usually offer a free quote and can better assess your security needs with their experience.
3. Implement the proper security measures. Now, we aren’t saying to go lock down your home like Fort Knox. Usually, an alarm system and some specialized door locks will do. An alarm system will sound out if a burglar has broken into your home. This measure comes after the fact, but like we said, criminals are going to burglarize no matter what. An alarm system in Coloumbus will ensure that help is on the way to your home, and that is often deterrent enough for burglars to flee the scene immediately. Be sure to display your security signs where it is clearly visible to anyone in the vicinity.
4. Develop a list of bad practices and avoid doing them. Don’t broadcast on social media that you’re on vacation, don’t leave your home undefended, don’t hide a spare key in an obvious place, etc. 5. Develop a list of best practices and do follow them. Do ensure that your home and the surrounding areas are adequately lit. Do remember to lock your doors and windows. Do remember to arm your alarm system when you leave the house.
Follow these 5 simple steps and your home won’t be the 1 in 16 that gets burglarized. The key is consistency. Once your security measures are in place, be sure to utilize them properly. Remember to follow your do’s and dont’s list. All Secured is a security provider for Columbus, OH and the surrounding areas. We have over 21 years of experience in the security industry.