IT'S TIME TO TAKE OWNERSHIP

Whether the Leduc and surrounding area realize it or not, individuals
invite criminal activity when they aren't cognizant in protecting
their property.

Leaving doors to vehicles and homes unlocked, leaving valuables in
plain sight inside their vehicles is an open invitation to steal.

Perhaps tempting fate, taking that one person who may have only
contemplated committing a petty crime and giving them the best
possible conditions to make it reality. In turn, individuals are
asking to be victimized.

When it comes to some of the most expensive possessions in our lives
(homes and vehicles), why is it that some of us continually leave
them unprotected?

In this day and age, why leave the doors to your $200,000 home
unlocked, especially when your new 36-inch flat screen TV is ripe for
the picking?

Also, many times we hear about women's purses stolen from unlocked vehicles.

For many women the contents of their purse is highly valuable, lined
with pertinent information, documents and money.

So why leave it unattended?

Sometimes it isn't always just about unlocked vehicles ---- it's also
about removing valuables from plain sight to decrease temptation. For
example, when someone is going through a parking lot flicking door
handles checking for unlocked car doors, a nice new laptop computer
catches their eye sitting on the passenger's seat of a truck, perhaps
breaking a window is worth it in the end.

In many cases, these petty crimes of thefts from vehicles are related
to other crimes, such as the ever-growing drug trade.

People who are submerged in this way of life need money or easily
tradable goods to feed the addiction (methamphetamine, cocaine ) and
a woman's purse would be a great find, as it contains money and
personal documents for identity theft, which is one of the fastest
growing activities for criminal behaviour.

So why, as a society, are we making these crimes easy to commit?

Instead of holding onto the mentality, 'oh it won't happen to me,'
maybe it's time to consider the reality of today's world and take
precautions to help prevent this kind of criminal behaviour in our communities.