Vandalism is a leading cause of property damage across the US. Businesses and residential communities spend millions of dollars each year trying to repair damage due to these crimes. This is why crime prevention strategies are important to learn about and plan to protect your property. It’s critical first to understand that there is no such thing as a full proof plan. No matter how carefully you plan or how much money you spend it is impossible to protect your property from vandalism completely. However, there are definitely steps you can take to discourage vandals from destructing your property. Utilizing resources in your area is a great place to start when you’re trying to figure out how to protect yourself. If you are in Miami Dade County, a property damage lawyer could be an excellent starting point. Your Insurance Attorney is a leading expert in the field that could help provide you with all the information you need to prevent vandalism.
Crime Prevention Strategies For Avoiding Vandalism
Despite the fact that there is no way to guarantee that your property will be fully protected against vandalism there are steps you can take to make sure that you are as protected as possible.
- Have Bright Lights: Dark spaces are what vandals seek out. So if you have bright lights surrounding your property, it is a great first step. Keeping areas well lit make it hard for crimes of vandalism to be committed because criminals like their acts to be kept a secret and unseen.
- Use Unbreakable Glass: Vandals love to break glass. Whether it’s windows or accessories, they will break anything in sight. One way to combat this is by installing shatterproof glass. Now by installing these fixtures doesn’t guarantee that they can’t be broken with extreme force, but they’re less likely to shatter when a vandal is quickly trying to cause damage.
- Install Fencing: If you can, install a fence around the perimeter of your property. Although criminals can still jump over a fence, they are less likely to do so because there is a greater possibility that they’ll be seen.
- Remove Damage: Vandals want their work displayed, especially when it comes to graffiti. Removing the evidence as soon as possible eliminates their desire to come back and commit more acts. Also, if damage is left up too long other criminals may be drawn to your property since it’s already been vandalized.
- If You See Something Say Something: More often than not when people witness acts of vandalism they don’t report them to the police because they feel like they are “too small,” but this isn’t the truth. It doesn’t matter if the act is large or small it is crucial to report it. Even if the vandal isn’t caught reporting it can increase police presence in your area, which will keep criminals away.
- Install Cameras: Surveillance won’t keep every criminal away, but the amateur vandals that are most likely committing these acts will be scared by the presence of cameras. Even if they don’t completely stop the crime from happening you will have proof and hopefully a picture of who committed it.
If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve been the victim of vandalism, it is critical to get advice from a property damage attorney about how to handle repairing any damage that was done or filing an insurance claim.
Contact Us
Your Insurance Attorney is a property damage attorney located in Miami Dade County. We specialize in assisting our clients to get the most from their settlements when they suffer any damage. We also take the time to help our clients learn about crime prevention strategies, so they never have to deal with vandalism again. Call or visit us today to find out how we can help you!
