While Santa Clarita recently garnered attention as one of the “safest cities” per recent data, sheriff’s officials still see far too many of what are called “crimes of opportunity,” officials said Friday.
Santa Clarita, through programs like their hashtag #9pmRoutine — which reminds residents to lock their doors and cars before going to bed — is working to reduce the number of thefts by making people more conscious of the potential for ne’er-do-wells to strike, even if statistical they’re in one of the nation’s safest towns for such crime.
The “Stolen Collection” is a program working with the city and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station to continue reducing property theft in homes and in vehicles, according to a news release.
The campaign shares recommendations to residents on how to safely protect their property and not let it run the risk of being stolen. One such example is to not only keep cars securely locked up but also “that car interiors are completely clean and organized, to show thieves there is nothing worth stealing.”
A total of 3,216 property crime incidents were reported in Santa Clarita in 2017, according to the news release. Other instances included 523 reports of burglaries or smashed windows or doors forcibly opened, and 454 reports of theft from unlocked vehicles were also reported.
To keep property from being stolen, the Stolen Collection advises keeping garage doors closed and locked before going to sleep or leaving home, check that all exterior doors are locked, turn exterior lights on at nights, lock vehicles and report suspicious behavior directly to the Sheriff’s Department.
Santa Clarita ranked 10th among the top 10 cities in the United States with the least number of property crimes, The Signal previously reported.
To learn more about the Stolen Collection campaign, go to https://scstolencollection.com.
