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Growing Pains
Growing up is never easy. Just ask Little Lady, almost three-and-a-half, how hard it is. She’ll tell you. “It’s really, really hard. Half way through the day, my parents are a complete wreck.”
She’s right. Sometimes the tension in here...
Quantum-less Time and Mathematically-deprived theory!
What would you say to me if I told you that you don’t have to be at work by 8 am, but rather that you have to be at work tomorrow? What if I told you that your alarm clock is going to be reconfigured to only display days, and not specific times? ...
The Importance of Dog ID Tags
Out of the approximately 60 million dogs that live in the United States, at least 5 million somehow find their way into an animal shelter every year. Out of these 5 million dogs a year, only about a million ever find their original owners.
If...
Toy Dog Breeds
Toy dog breeds include greyhounds, terriers, pinschers, pugs, chihuahuas, pekingese, spaniels--the official list of the AKC is quite extensive. Regardless of breed, toy dogs are desired for their cuteness and cuddle-ability. Many retain the...
What is Abuse?
Violence in the family often follows other forms of more subtle and long-term abuse: verbal, emotional, psychological sexual, or financial.
It is closely correlated with alcoholism, drug consumption, intimate-partner homicide, teen pregnancy,...
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The property thief
For the property thief, the decision to commit a crime on an apartment property is a risk versus reward exercise. The risk of committing this crime is the chance of getting caught, losing the property, and possibly their freedom. The reward is the perceived benefit obtained upon successful completion of the crime. A good apartment security plan will address this concept by using crime prevention measures that will increase the perpetrator’s perception of being caught (risk), while diminishing their perceived value of their target (reward).
Property criminals view an apartment community differently than a new resident prospect looking for a place to live. For property thieves, it’s more like going shopping and looking at the various items available to steal. They have a choice where and when they will commit a crime. If the thieves don’t like the merchandise or the shopping experience at your property, they will go elsewhere. For them, the available targets equate to money. The things they steal can be converted to money or can be used so they don’t have to spend their money. Property crimes are usually one of stealth, where the criminal does not want a confrontation or be identified. However, it is possible that the property criminal may become violent if the opportunity presents itself or if surprised, cornered, or captured.
Those arrested for property crimes and usually male and between 18-21 years old. The studies show that most property criminals live nearby their target areas and are familiar with the neighborhood. It is an important comfort factor for them to know the terrain and all the potential escape routes. They will usually work the property on foot, unless they need a vehicle to
transport the stolen merchandise. Sometimes the property criminal will have lived in the target apartment community or have a friend who is a current resident.
Criminal Deterrence
For apartment managers, recognizing and addressing the lower levels of criminal motivation is the first key to successful deterrence. A good crime prevention program works best on moderately and poorly motivated criminals.
There are some key points to remember:
* A criminal’s motivation to commit a theft is at it’s lowest level during the first visit to the property
* Criminal motivation increases with familiarity of the property
* Success, in committing crimes on a property, will increase the level of motivation to continue to commit more crimes
* It is three times more difficult to deter a criminal who has been successfully committing crimes on your property
The best places to address lower levels of criminal motivation is at the entrances to the property, the perimeter of the buildings, and most importantly, in the leasing office. The property thief will view the lack of suitable escape routes as a trap and will simply choose another property to victimize. Good perimeter fencing and a reduced number of entrances after hours will often create that perception. Believe it or not, thieves read the signs that say, "Security Patrol" or "Neighborhood Watch" or "Crime Free Multi-Housing Program", even if we don’t. Property thieves want to blend into a community, and they get uncomfortable when residents look suspiciously at them.
About the Author
Since 1989 dan the roommate man has helped 1000's of people find good roommates. You can contact him at 800-488-8050 or www.roommateexpress.com
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