Carlyle RCMP reminds people how to prevent property theft
Although southeast Saskatchewan communities are very safe places to live, vandalism and theft remain a problem for citizens, local councils and the RCMP.
CARLYLE – The Carlyle RCMP offers advice to the public on preventing property crime.
Although southeast Saskatchewan communities are very safe places to live, vandalism and theft remain a problem for citizens, local councils and the RCMP.
Crimes of convenience will continue to be reported to police, the RCMP said. With that in mind, there are steps you can take to limit the possibility of becoming a victim of crime.
Many of the most effective precautions are based on common sense, are not expensive, are not prohibitively expensive, or are time consuming.
As the new RCMP Division Commander at Carlyle, I would like to share with you some of these measures that I hope you will consider implementing to help reduce property crime in our local area.
Secure your property
Securing your property by simply locking the doors and windows – of your home as well as any outbuildings – can deter theft, as in my experience offenders look for crimes of opportunity. They would rather not break a window or draw attention to themselves when the chances are high that they will find an easier target nearby.
Place your belongings out of sight
This tip goes hand in hand with securing your property. Having potentially expensive property or valuables in sight gets noticed by a passerby, especially one with ill intentions. This applies to money, jewelry, or garage door openers left in the console of vehicles, as well as any tools or equipment exposed due to a garage or shed door being left open.
If you have quality property or live in an area that could be considered remote or rural, it is highly recommended that you consider additional precautions such as cameras and alarms to ensure security.
Keep your property well maintained, well lit and visible from the street
Keeping your property well lit at night, with doors/windows visible from the street and having a well manicured yard can reduce the likelihood of your property being the target of potential criminal activity. A well-tended yard signals to people that you take pride in your property and take care of it regularly.
In general, people involved in property crime do not want to draw attention to themselves. If there is a chance that either you or a neighbor is watching them, they may move on.
cameras and alarm systems
Cameras and alarm systems go a long way in preventing criminal activities such as property crime. Again, individuals associated with this type of criminal activity want to remain unseen and unheard. If the perpetrators know your property has working cameras and is alerted, they may move on.
Call the police if you see suspicious activity
As a police officer, I cannot stress enough the importance of calling the police when you see a suspicious person or vehicle near your property. Contrary to popular belief, most property crimes are not solved during a burglary or theft.
Indictments and the linking of criminal activity result from dedicated police officers combining information gathered at crime scenes, performing detailed analysis of the facts and gathering information from the public as part of their investigations.
That’s why it’s so important to report suspicious vehicles and people. If you see any suspicious activity, please call the police immediately.
Report crimes – so the police know it’s happening
If you call the police to report an incident, you may be asked to provide the location of the incident, date and time, descriptions of a person or vehicle, and information about what you saw.
Why should you report a crime?
When a crime is reported to the police, officers get a clearer picture of the type and number of crimes occurring in the area. This information helps us to launch future police projects, initiatives and awareness campaigns.
Did you know that you can report crimes online if there are no witnesses or suspects, or lost or stolen items are worth less than $5,000? Repairing damaged property costs less than $5,000. or there are no personal identity items, firearms, license plates or decals?
Reports of online crime are investigated in the same way as if they had been reported in any other way. Report crimes here: http://report.rcmp.ca/
I encourage anyone with information regarding criminal activity to please contact the Carlyle RCMP at 306-453-6707, local law enforcement, 911 in an emergency, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.