By Councilmember Cameron Smyth
How many times have you accidentally left the garage door open overnight? Or perhaps, in a rush to get groceries into your home, you left your car door unlocked on the street or driveway. We’ve all been guilty of one of these before and hopefully, none of the valuables in your car or garage were stolen because Santa Clarita is generally a safe community.
In fact Santa Clarita has been rated one of the safest cities in the nation – however that doesn’t mean we are free of theft-related crimes. Every week or so, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station releases Crime Information and Public Safety Reports detailing crimes that have occurred in our communities.
In many instances, a lot of the thefts reported could have been easily prevented. For example, in early May, a suspect stole cash from someone’s unlocked vehicle; another suspect entered someone’s home through an unlocked sliding door; and a barbeque was stolen from a porch.
All of these thefts could have been prevented with the #9PMRoutine. The #9PMRoutine is a social media campaign being promoted by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and the City of Santa Clarita to raise awareness and promote safer habits among residents to prevent unnecessary thefts from vehicles, as well as homes.
You may have already seen some social media posts from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station or the City of Santa Clarita using the hashtag #9PMRoutine to remind residents to take crime preventative measures every night at 9 p.m., before they go to bed.
So how can you best partake in the #9PMRoutine? It’s actually quite simple. Set an alarm on your smart phone, watch or other device to remind yourself to do the following:
- Remove valuables (electronic devices, wallets, etc.) from your vehicle.
- Ensure that vehicle doors and trunks are locked.
- Check that all house and property exterior doors and garage doors are locked.
- Turn on exterior lights.
When you think about it, these are all very easy preventative actions that take a few seconds. I encourage you to NOT become a victim of crime and complete the #9PMRoutine every night!
To join the #9PMRoutine and help spread the word to our community, share your routine on social media with the hashtag #9PMRoutine and follow the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and the City of Santa Clarita social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
I’d love to see your images, pictures and comments and I’ll be sure to share some of my #9PMRoutine tips on the City’s Twitter account: @SantaClarita.
The next time it hits 9 p.m., I hope you remember to bring in your valuables and lock your doors. Stay safe Santa Clarita!
Cameron Smyth is a Santa Clarita City Council member and can be reached at: [email protected].
