Now is a good time to invest in dead bolts for your doors, if you haven’t already. Anything anywhere on your property that can bring quick cash is likely to “walk off” if you don’t secure it.

Copper is big in this area. Thieves are cutting down power lines for it! And it’s also a good idea to lock down your outside AC units. Thieves are taking those too, believe it or not!

Maybe now is the time to consider forming/joining a neighborhood watch, because things are only going to get worse.

As economy dives, crime fears spike

As the economy has fizzled, police departments have reported big increases in burglaries, thefts and vandalism. Neighborhood watch groups say that with police so busy and resources stretched thin, members know they have to be vigilant. [...]

With the economic downturn, neighborhood watch groups are proving to be a first line of defense in battling property crimes.

The Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington, D.C.-based independent research organization made up of local and state police officials, released a survey in January showing that 44 percent of police departments reported increases in crimes they believed could be attributed to the economic crisis.

Of the departments surveyed, 39 percent reported an increase in robberies, and 32 percent said they had seen a rise in burglaries.

Those surveyed also reported a 40 percent increase in thefts, including those of GPS devices from cars and other “opportunistic” crimes.

The survey also revealed that while quality-of-life crimes are rising, budget money is falling. Of the 233 responding police agencies, 63 percent said they expected their total funding for the next fiscal year to be slashed.

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