|
It's fair to say that on the Prairies, and especially in Winnipeg, crime is, if not out of control, then barely being held in check. In 2005, the last full year Statistics Canada has analyzed, Manitoba had a crime rate of approximately 15,000 events per 100,000 population, compared to Ontario with about half that rate of occurrence.
In Winnipeg last year, there were 1,712 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 population. Winnipeg has the distinction of being the car theft capital of Canada. This year, car thefts include one police car swiped and then abandoned on Aug. 28.
Stealing a cop car for a joy ride is the stuff of movies. But when your own car is stolen or vandalized, your windows are broken or your house is burglarized, the sense of violation is acute. The psychic cost can exceed the financial cost.
It pays to be prepared, especially in a place where statistics predict that over the course of time everyone will be a victim.
The problem of crime against property is probably worse than what data show because many people never report small acts of vandalism or theft. A chair stolen from a backyard, graffiti on a wall - why bother? The police don't come, the loss is too small for an insurance claim, and the whole thing is best forgotten. That's the attitude of a lot of victims.
Forgetting is close to nonchalance. Those who are victimized and then say, "it was a small loss, so who cares?" are setting themselves and their neighbours up for more of the same.
Property is in jeopardy. Home invasions are reported with increasing frequency. But one can do a good deal to reduce the chances of break-ins, vandalism, home invasion and car theft. Here are some possibilities:
 |
- Removal of shrubs around the house that can conceal lurking thieves.
- Security bars on openings for window air conditioners or bolts to hold the units tight in frames
- Locks on sliding windows and dowels or bars in tracks to stop window movement
- For new construction or major renovations, reinforcement of doors with triple and braced studs to make it difficult to use a car jack to pry apart the door frame
- Installation of heavy metals bars on casement windows
- Installation of high-security locks with long deadbolts on exterior doors
- Installation of high security locks and long deadbolts on garage door to the house
- Use of motion-sensing halogen lights around all house walls and entrances
- Purchase of a central alarm system with motion-sensing video cameras at doors and potential trouble spots
- Use of shatterproof windows. Materials include tempered glass and polycarbonate plastic
- Review insurance to buy not the cheapest, nor the most comprehensive, but the most efficient coverage for your exposure. Deductibles vary from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Many insurance experts suggest raising the deductible to the most you can afford without wincing.
|
Home security can also include fire control systems such as sprinklers, exterior paints that slough off graffiti and interior damage control systems such as commercial fire extinguishers in the kitchen. A dog can be trained to bark at intruders or perhaps do worse.
Our legal system does not tolerate excessive force, so the key to security is deterrence: keeping the bad dudes out rather than nabbing them once they are in. The lawn sign that names your alarm company may be as good as the actual alarm system.
Much of the crime deterrence process is psychological. If a home looks like it's going to be tough to enter, many thieves and vandals will move on to try softer targets. The psychology of deterrence, therefore, includes lawn signs that come with alarm systems. Let the bad guys know the house is wired. Tell them they are on television and they may go away.
Some of these measures actually pay dividends. Most home insurance policies have discounts for central alarm systems. In any event, paying a dollar or two a day for peace of mind is worthwhile for many people.
A great deal of crime against property, and surely the greatest part of vandalism that produces no financial gain for the perpetrators, is sheer opportunism. Reduce the opportunities and the temptations and you'll have a more secure house and, one might argue, a better life.
In a real estate sense, improving home security should increase property value. The market may recognize security as a valuable selling point. In any event, a more secure home is a better home. And a lot of security is beyond price.
|
