Protecting your home and neighborhood

You can take advantage of your property's natural surroundings to make it safer. This can be done through strategically placed lighting, flowerbeds, low fences, walls, hedges, signage, better and / or more timely maintenance.

For residences, it is important to give the impression of occupancy to discourage criminal activity. This can be accomplished by maintaining your lawn, shoveling your driveway, using timers to control your lights, and having someone check on your property if you are away for a long period of time.

Tips on how to keep your home safe:

• make sure your home is secure. Put deadbolts on doors and good locks on windows
• change the locks when you move into a new place
• make sure your entrances are lit and install a peephole in your door
• get to know your neighbours and keep an eye on each other's homes
• install security cameras in your home and on your property
• do not announce when you aren't home on social media 

You can also use your environment to discourage crime by promoting simple actions, such as:

• keep your home clean and well maintained
• notice and ask questions of strangers who don't belong in your space
• keep shrubs trimmed to eliminate hiding places
• move your parking area so your vehicle is in front of your home, or in a position to be easily observed by you or your neighbours
• limit the number of ways people can enter your property

Build relationships with your neighbours and get involved in local activities like neighbourhood associations, yard sales or pitching in to throw a block party.

Get to know the people who live in your neighbourhood, get informed on whether they work during the day or the night, if there are kids around and how old they are. This can help you notice when something is amiss.

Be active in your neighbourhood and spend time outdoors. Being outside deters crime because it tells others that the space is used and cared for. Have a way to contact your neighbours in case of an emergency, if they're not home, or if you need help. Have house numbers that are visible from the road so police can see your address if you need to call them. 

Machines and equipment can be marked with your driver's licence number and province of issue. To reduce theft of items such as ATVs, auger motors, tools, batteries or hydraulics from machinery, ensure they are not left in vulnerable areas such as fields or remote areas.

Cottages should always have the appearance of being occupied. This can be accomplished by using motion sensors or timers for outdoor lights, as well as timers for interior lights. Having a timer on the television or leaving the radio on will also help deter possible crime.

Winter closing tips

Your cottage should be checked at least once a week. This can be done by taking a trip out yourself or having a permanent resident check on it for you. Valuables, as well as alcohol, should be removed during the winter months. 

To help prevent motor vehicle theft:

• always lock your vehicle when unattended
• use steering wheel locking devices
• park in attended lots
• use ignition kill switches, fuel kill switches
• use an alarm
• never leave your car running unattended even for a few minutes
• use locks, tire or wheel locks or hood locks
• use a vehicle tracking system