Choosing a Home Security System in Los Angeles
As the second-largest city in the US, Los Angeles has a lot to offer its residents. Los Angeles and its surrounding areas are still among the most popular places to live. However, the city still deals with a high crime rate – recent data suggests Los Angeles is only safer than 13% of other cities in the US.
For many residents of Los Angeles, safety is a top concern. Those who are hoping to avoid being targeted by burglars or intruders should prioritize a home security system to help protect themselves, their family and their home in the most effective way possible.
Recent Los Angeles Crime Statistics
Unfortunately, according to recent statistics from Neighborhood Scout, residents of Los Angeles face a 1 in 135 chance of being a victim of a violent crime. As a comparison, the chance of being a victim of violent crime in the US as a whole is 1 in 263. According to recent statistics, about 30,000 violent crimes occur in Los Angeles each year. As for property crimes, Los Angeles residents have a 1 in 39 chance of becoming a victim. There are more than triple the number of property crimes as violent crimes in the city, with the total number of property crime reports reaching 102,000 cases in a single year.
The Most Common Crimes in LA
The most common crime in Los Angeles burglary or theft from a vehicle, otherwise known as BTFV. Some residents tend to leave the doors of their vehicle unlocked, which allows thieves to easily get inside, grab valuable items, and leave before they’re ever noticed. The second most common crime is personal theft, which includes any theft that doesn’t involve breaking into buildings or vehicles.
The majority of thefts committed in Los Angeles are “crimes of opportunity.” Thieves sense a chance to grab something quickly and get away without being caught, so they jump on the opportunity. Often, these instances involve items left visible in unlocked vehicles or outside the house overnight. By taking some just a few precautions, Los Angeles residents can ward off thieves and significantly decrease their chances of becoming a victim of these crimes.
How to Protect Against Crimes
The first step to protecting your home and family from crime should be obvious: keep any doors and windows to your house and vehicle locked at all times. If the entry is locked, the intruder will have to take time to pick the lock or risk making noise while breaking a window to get inside. With these roadblocks in place, it increases the thief’s chances of being caught, so many won’t risk it.
However, some more persistent intruders won’t be deterred by locks alone. According to a report from Simon Hakin and Erwin Blackstone, a home that does not have a security system is 2.7 times more likely to be targeted by a burglar than one with a system in place. If property crime is particularly prevalent in your Los Angeles neighborhood, installing an active security system in your home will present many difficult roadblocks to any intruders looking for their next target.
