The following information about home safety provided by a local police officer is for a specific neighborhood, but would certainly apply to other neighborhoods as well . . .

As a police officer, and your neighbor, I can tell you that there are two things that have happened that will make us more of a target for thieves!  Not just for car theft but for house burglary as well . . .
 
One is that with all the activity in the baseball park and the commercial zone (i.e. Wal-mart & etc.) we have more people who now know that this neighborhood exists.
 
The second thing is that the trees in our neighborhood are getting bigger and blocking more of the light from the street lamps. Criminal statistics show that criminals do NOT like the light! They prefer to work in the dark. Any additional lighting that you have on around your house becomes a security measure. Turn on porch lights. Install security lighting that works off a motion sensor and comes on with movement. Even installing landscaping lights or small LED solar lights is better than nothing. The extra electricity used at night to leave a few lights on is generally well worth the security that it provides to your property.
 
If you would like to see additional crime prevention tips, go to www.slcpd.com. There are pamphlets and other crime prevention information available.
 
Share this information with your neighbors . . .  and keep your garage door down, your property locked up, and your LIGHTS ON.