We have seen the Watch cars at least twice a day in our neighborhood, maybe more. They can approach and question and call the sheriff but maybe you should just call the sheriff. If you see something, say something.

We are mostly retired and moving around this town with cell phones with cameras....if you see someone walking between the houses or someone who doesn't look like a umm...retired person and out of place cruising by or doing something even a tad suspicicous, TAKE THEIR PICTURE and call the sheriffs non emergency line or... That is how the last two were caught. A bug spray guy called it in. He saw two guys in an old car and one was going behind someone's house. Bug sprayer is a young guy and was featured in the online news and some folks sent him a little cash for his efforts.

Most of these have occurred in broad daylight. These guys know WHEN the people leave. They either have been in the homes and have seen a calendar, or some other commonality. There were two that occurred in the same 24 hour span and both people had just left for Canada. Taxi driver? Someone who knows someone who tells someone???

Thanks for the tip to just have our first names on our outdoor sign. We are going to order ours next Thurs when we come for our visit.

Let's all switch signs with each other! That should confuse the bad guys. :police:

Does anyone use the steal bar that goes against the door. We had one in Boston . Would that help?

I agree.

Why create laws for people over 55 ? Everyone needs the protection and sense of security to know that the lowlife can't post bail and will go to prison.

I agree with GracieGirl regarding stiffer penalties for crimes committed. I lived in a bedroom community amongst one of the largest crime filled small cities, and the largest crime reported was for barking dogs. There was a robbery at the local McDonalds, and that criminal received the maximum penalty by law for his crime. The mayor wanted to send a message to criminals that she wouldn't tolerate criminal activity in her town. They got the message loud and clear.
On another note, we don't have key deadbolt locks on our doors, and the doors are not strong enough to keep criminals out- in my opinion. Change all the locks on doors to a more secure lock. Add security systems. Make it harder for the perpetrator. Neighborhood watch groups are good too.

Thank you for saying what I was thinking .... I will just add "give us a break" with the poor unfortunate stuff. This is about burglary and crime.

So glad I live where I do! We neighbors watch out for each other and the homes when anyone so much as leaves to do an errand! And no one had to be asked to do that! I love my neighbors!

This is a good theory however the hole is they could just look up your address on govt website and get even more info than a phonebook.

I suppose most of you have seen that U-Tube video where the mind reader searches the mind of a number of individuals and to the letter he gets every bit of their private information and more than that accurately.

Then the surprise the mind reader actually went on their facebook and found all that information..People keep screaming about their privacy but yet go about giving information about themselves freely. People can get more from face book then the NSA does with meta data and people scream. Yet the NSA's meta data is protecting our national security

If you allow people/contractors in your home you need to be vigilant of what is left out (visible). Don't Let them know you are on a regular schedule, or that you are seasonal. We don't have a land line. Be careful of the boxes you put out for the trash. These are just a few things. Yes, it's sad that we need to do this but it is a fact of life. We are easier targets than a 25 yr old. So we need to use common sense. Most of the people that break into your home are looking For a quick easy profitable target. The harder you make it the more likely they will pass on your home, unless they know it Will be very profitable.

Hurricane code here is not as strict as Dade County codes in Miami. There, all outside doors must open out.......not in as my door is here. Opening out makes the inside push of the door not only supported by the latch, but by the entire frame. You won't kick in a door that opens out.