VAN BUREN - The reminder on Facebook may have been short and sweet for the Van Buren Police Department, but they made sure to remind followers on Thursday that less scrupulous people are likely to take advantage of area residents as the weather warms up.
“Each year, as the weather warms up, we see an increase in thefts of lawn equipment.” the Department warned. “We encourage you to secure your lawn equipment and also have your serial numbers recorded for each item.”
According to Turf Magazine, if someone is wanting to secure lawn or landscape equipment, there are a few things one can do to make things a little safer. They include:
- Install security fences around the area where equipment will be located.
- Install motion-censored security lights.
- Install a security system that sends messages when motion is detected on the property. These systems can be set up to send notifications to several key employees who can then act on them appropriately. If located in a high-theft area or for a company that has been hit multiple times, there are also companies that provide live video monitoring and can call the authorities immediately. Authorities may be more likely to respond quicker if they know a crime is actually in progress.
- If it is practical for you, consider keeping a watch dog inside your yard. Just the presence of a dog will deter most would-be burglars. Even a small dog can be effective if it is noisy enough. Rent-a-dog services are available in some areas, for business owners not willing or able to take care of a dog themselves.
For more information, call the Van Buren Police Department at (479) 474-1234.
