Vivint Home Security Systems in Olathe, KS
As a whole, Olathe is a relatively safe city. The city’s rate for violent crime is well below the average for the state. Unfortunately, no one is really safe from property crimes. In fact 1 in 76 residents will be a victim of a burglary or similar crime every year. These are often committed by people who have financial challenges and see no other way to better their situation than to steal from someone who has worked hard to acquire their own property. The good news is, there are some ways you can protect your belongings and keep your family safe.
effect on the crime
By participating in a neighborhood watch group, being active on Nextdoor or installing a security system on your own home, you can have an effect on the crime in and around your house. Since Nextdoor was launched in Kansas, the city of Olathe has been very active. This app allows residents to communicate amongst each other in a space dedicated to only the people who live within the neighborhood boundaries. People are busier than ever today and many of us don’t even know everyone who lives on the street. Nextdoor enables people to get to know their neighbors as well as have a direct line to the law enforcement officers who work in the community. If you see suspicious activity, you can instantly relay that information to others who live nearby as well as alert the police to a potential problem.
Housing prices
Housing prices are trending upward in Olathe, which is a clear sign that people are happy in this community. There are some things that people have done that have led to this trend and that, if they are continued, will result in an even more satisfied living experience. Probably the most significant thing people have done in recent years is take responsibility for their own safety. Residents who proactively install security systems on their homes feel safer as they sleep and don’t worry about break in while they are at work. By getting the system professionally installed, homeowners can ask questions and learn exactly how to use their new system. If the system has a camera, they’ll get help downloading and installing the app if they need it.
Olathe has a rich history and longtime residents are not willing to allow the city to be overrun by crime. So many similar cities have had issues with gangs, drug dealers and other violent criminals but Olathe has been able to avoid this for the most part because the citizens care about their community. Whether you are a homeowner or you rent your residence in Olathe, you have a duty to report crime and deter it whenever possible. Neighborhood watch groups, Nextdoor and simple vigilance all play a role in crime prevention and will help you protect yourself as well as your neighbors. Watch groups across the country are effective at curbing property crimes by reporting suspicious people and vehicles in the neighborhood. Communities can get involved in a watch group as a complement to or substitute for their participation on Nextdoor. In a time where most people don’t know everyone who lives on their street, this type of activity allows people to get to know their neighbors as well as the law enforcement officers who patrol their streets.
Police departments are very active in watch groups and residents can share their concerns with them during or between meetings. A liaison is assigned to each watch group as the person they should contact with any questions or concerns. They are responsible for reporting crimes to the group leaders and helping them keep the neighborhood safe. Police officers give watch group members tips regarding effective ways to keep their families safe and improve their community. Because they work on the streets, they can warn residents of potential problems before they affect their households. For example, if several cars were burglarized in a nearby neighborhood, the police are likely to know this before the residents. Something this minor might not be reported on the nightly news but a neighborhood watch group can get the information from their liaison at the local police department.
Armed with this information, residents can protect their property by locking their car doors or putting their cars in their locked garages. A car that’s inside a garage is even safer when the family has an alarm system on their home. Homeowners and renters who are proactive and get these types of systems installed before there is a problem in their neighborhood are less likely to be a victim of crime. When several homes in the neighborhood have them, the entire area is safer because figuring out which homes are unsecured requires too much work for a burglar looking to commit a crime of opportunity.
Conclusion
In addition to having a working alarm system, it’s also important to keep valuable items out of sight. Parents should insist their children store their bicycles in the garage or basement when they aren’t in use and adults should always lock up their lawn tools to prevent a quick thief from taking them. Burglars typically don’t like to spend a lot of time looking for small items they can quickly resell. By taking away the opportunity for a crook to quickly grab valuable items, families improve their chances of holding onto their own property. Whether the home has a security system or not, property that is left outside or in an open garage could be taken quickly, before the family even realizes there was someone close to their home.
