Fight Crime

You know I'm against government abusing its power over the tax-paying citizens or locking up anyone for victimless crimes, but I don't support the thieves. These no-good thieves are costing jobs and killing the people trying to make an honest living. Here are some tips for fighting the real crime in our community.

Lighting

Good illumination can deter the ne'er-do-wells, and light is not expensive. A 60-watt equivalent LED light bulb uses less than one and a half cents of electricity per night. Electricity probably costs about $0.13 per KWH, maybe less, and an LED bulb uses 9 watts.

9 watts * 12 hours = 108 watt-hours = 0.108 KWH

0.108 KWH * 13 cents per KWH = 1.404 cents

Light pollution is a problem for skygazers and astronomers, so don't overdo it. Try to keep your lights aimed down, not shining or reflecting into the sky.

Trim Bushes

Keep bushes in front of windows trimmed. Or get some very thorny bushes. You don't want to provide hiding places for intruders to break into your home or business.

Maintain the Area

Some thieves have used abandoned houses in the area as bases of operations. Some concerned citizens have cut grass around abandoned houses to help expose the thieves.

Security Cameras

Security cameras are not too costly these days. I'd consider setting some up.

Don't expect camera footage to always reveal the identity of anyone who is seen on them, especially if your camera's picture is grainy, blurry, or otherwise unclear. Identifiable features are not always distinguishable.

Did you know you can use your old android phone as a security camera? I've tried DroidCam, and it works ok but has some issues. There are other apps I haven't tried that might work better.

There's free software such as ZoneMinder that can monitor your cameras for you.

Don't Talk To Police

If you're ever involved with defending your home or business from intruders, you should avoid talking to law enforcement without a lawyer. See the Don't Talk To Police page.

Other Options

You could hire private investigators to help solve crimes or hire private security to help prevent crime on your property. A night watchman or watchwoman might be willing to provide inexpensive security, and perhaps you can arrange a deal such as where they live on the property.