1. Make friends with neighbors. Familiarizing yourself with neighbors can be a win-win situation. Know who lives in your neighbourhood. If you notice an increase in unfamiliar faces, ask yourself why?
2. Organize neighborhood safety efforts. Be present in your neighbourhood so people recognize you. If you have a concern, speak with your neighbours and discuss it. Do you need more activity on the street, have you noticed illegal activities. Perhaps they are exploring your street or admiring your gardens. Don’t confront, but don’t be afraid to wave and say hello. If they have good intentions, they will appreciate it and if they don’t, they’ll scatter.
3. Keep up your yard. A well-kept yard can help deter crime since trimmed foliage offers fewer places to hide. But don’t stop with the front yard. Fences can, of course, keep unwanted visitors out. Many homes have rear access or an alley. As a renter or a homeowner, on either an assumed or unassumed alley, you are responsible for weed control, low lying brush and garbage within twelve feet of the property line. Keep it as well-groomed and maintained as your front yard. That will reduce illegal dumping and illegal activities. And if you notice those things, report them, get them cleaned up as quickly as possible.
4. Exercise caution when out of town. To choose targets, burglars rely most on easily noticed visual cues. Have your mail picked up, stop delivery of the paper and packages and tell your immediate neighbours. If your home is safe, theirs is too.
5. Close windows and blinds at night. A big-screen TV is a less enticing steal if no one knows it’s there. That means not putting the box or container out for pickup either. They may not come the day you put it out but if they are watching, they may come back in the future.
6. Improve lighting on your street. Burglars often prefer to target neighborhoods with lower residential density. If you notice a street light blown out, call it in. If you feel you need more street lighting, find out how to do that and who to contact. Many people will leave their porch light on. The small increase in hydro costs can be worth it. And that includes rear lighting. Any fence can be scaled but if there’s a solar light or rear lighting, that will trigger a warning that the area is being watched and scare them off.
7. Install a security system. In the end, one of the surest options for crime prevention in your neighborhood is to get a home security system and use it properly. Not only will it protect your home but could prove invaluable to your neighbours if they are targeted
8. If you see something, say something. Being diligent in your neighbourhood and speaking up helps everyone. Neighbours working together can make a difference. File a police report if your car is broken into or a package is taken. The police may not come out and the chance of recovering the items may be low but that report helps the police monitor the area and assign their patrols.
Reference: www.safewise.com/blog/8-simple-ways-make-neighborhood-safer-place/
